


To Outlast the Storm

by MaximusMeridian



Series: A Port in the Storm [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alpha Rick Grimes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Brief Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes Feels, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes Smut, Fluff, Knotting, M/M, Maternal Daryl, Omega Daryl Dixon, Possessive Rick, Rickyl, a/b/o dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:08:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 37,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25285123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaximusMeridian/pseuds/MaximusMeridian
Summary: Finding the prison looked like a blessing, little did they know the chaos that would follow.Story takes place throughout season 3, continuing the story of Rick and Daryl navigating the world of zombies while trying to be good mates to each other and keep their group alive.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes, Glenn Rhee/Maggie Greene (background)
Series: A Port in the Storm [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633912
Comments: 16
Kudos: 100





	1. Episode One

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally here, guys! The third story in this series. I'm going to post it in two bulk chunks. Today is seven chapters and the next should be seven as well. (should take no longer than two weeks, I would think)
> 
> Huge shout out to my editor/beta reader Maple Lantern who has been the most supportive friend in the world through my spastic writing and screaming about Rickyl with me well into the night.

Finding the prison was a massive victory, and taking it without any injuries or casualties was even better. More than Rick could have asked for. But here they were.

Behind fences, with land…. No more running to a new place every night or barely scrounging by for supplies. They were safe. They could thrive here.

With all this good news, Rick really should have expected it when Lori came over to him during one of his walks around the perimeter. He had lost count at three, more like stopped caring.

He only half paid attention to her at first, her words droning in the background before Rick snapped.

**“What do you think I’m doing?”**

Lori sighed and reached to rest a hand on his shoulder, **“Your absolute best-”**

 **“Don’t patronize me.”** Rick scoffed, pushing her hand off. Maybe he was too rough, but he couldn’t stand Lori touching him so familiarly. The memory of the last time she had ‘comforted’ him still stung. Her rejection after Shane’s death had hit hard.

Over the past eight months, he had tried to settle into a quiet peace with her. Being productive co-parents and maybe even moving toward friends. But every time he thought they were on a level footing… she would try to talk. About them. About things. Rick didn’t know what there was to talk about anymore.

He had moved on romantically with Daryl. He had promised to protect Lori and the baby like they were his family, like he would anyone in his group… What else could he offer her?

“ **I’m not.”** Lori insisted. “ **I’m just saying… The baby is about to be here. We need to talk about-”**

 **“About what?”** Rick interrupted, his tone sharper than he meant it to be. He wasn’t trying to be cruel… He had tried over the last few months to push away any of that left over anger and hurt, but it seemed to bubble back up in moments like this. Maybe he would just never be able to forgive the pain she caused him…

Maybe he’d never forgive her for the part she played in causing Shane’s death.

 **“Things… We’ve been avoiding.”** She said quietly, her hand moved to her belly. She glanced up at him with her chin tilted down slightly, a naturally submissive posture. Maybe she was hoping to appeal to his inner alpha, to use it against him to get what she wanted. It wasn’t working though. It only served to irritate him.

 **“You want to talk?”** Rick shook his head, starting to turn away. **“Talk to Hershel. I’m doing stuff, Lori. Things.”** He turned his head back to glance at her, a bit of the anger melting away.

The normal strong and stubborn woman was near tears. Coupled with the gaunt shadows of her face from the starvation they had all been feeling…

 **“I’m still here.”** He said, softly. It was all he could offer. He was here for the group. He was here for Lori and the baby. He was doing the best he could with what tools he had.

 **“Right.”** She nodded, quietly. **“I’m sorry.”**

Rick started walking toward the overturned bus to sit watch.

Lori had been his friend before she’d been his wife. They’ve laughed and joked, had serious conversations from the heart... Rick really wished he could get that back. That was going to be impossible though. There was too much damage between them. Rick knew that deep down.

“How many times I gotta tell you not to think so loud?” Came a familiar gruff voice from down below. Daryl was standing there, one hand on his hip and the other on his crossbow.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on people like that?” Rick responded, unable to stop his smile while looking at his mate.

Rick patted the spot next to him in invitation and Daryl climbed the bus in seconds, sitting quietly next to Rick.

“So?” Daryl asked, setting his crossbow a little over a foot away, so it was in reach but not in his lap.

“She wanted to talk about us.” Rick sighed in response. “I don’t think it’s romantic anymore… I think it’s abandonment. She’s terrified of being alone. Of having to raise the baby alone.”

Daryl nodded, quietly, watching Rick as he continued speaking. “I told her I’m still here. And I am. I’m… I’m right here. I’m gonna look out for the baby just like I do for Carl… Isn’t that enough?”

“It’s more than enough.” Daryl agreed. “You’ve kept ‘em fed and safe… It’s good enough, man. ‘Specially since you ain’t the one that knocked her up.”

Rick sighed, heavily, glancing at Daryl and voicing the fear that had been nagging at him for months. “But what if it is mine? What if I’m distant and hurting her and… and it’s been mine all along?”

Daryl reached out, lifting Rick’s chin a bit with his curled fingers. “Is the baby yours? Is Lori pregnant with your baby, Rick?”

Rick let out a bubbling hysterical laugh and shook his head. “No. No, the baby is Shane’s… It’s his. I just- I know in my gut it isn’t mine.”

“Then you’re doing all you can.” Daryl said, softly, dropping his hand again. “The best you can. For her. For the baby. You do too much worrying as it is. Let Lori worry ‘bout one of her kids.”

“Do I worry that much?” Rick sighed, turning his head to face Daryl.

“Always do.” Daryl nodded. “’Sides, you got your own pup to worry ‘bout.”

Rick’s panic welled up quickly and he asked in a rush: “Is something wrong with Carl? Is he not okay?”

“He’s fine.” Daryl assured, gently. “Nothing wrong. Just… Stuff to notice, yeah?”

“Like what?” Rick asked, curiously.

Daryl sighed. “Like how he’s starting to sniff around. How he’s been hovering around Beth the last couple of months… Keeps an eye on me when we’re working close?”

Rick’s mind began to work quickly and he asked in disbelief: “You think he’s close to presenting? I can’t- We can’t deal with a hormonal teenager running amok.”

“We knew the kid was an alpha.” Daryl shrugged. “Whether he was growing a knot or not. No beta’s gonna preen and argue that damn hard.”

“I don’t… I have no clue how to handle this.” Rick whispered. “I’m his father. I’m supposed to be able to give him the whole becoming an alpha thing… My dad was no help when I went through it. What stuff I did learn was from Shane, and even that wasn’t real useful.”

“So use what you’ve learned since you became an alpha.” Daryl shrugged.

Rick frowned. “I’ve always been an alpha, Daryl.”

Daryl rolled his eyes rather dramatically. “Since being… Being _my_ alpha.”

Rick felt a slight chill run up his spine at hearing Daryl say those last two words, and had to lick his lips to regain his train of thought.

“Being an alpha isn’t just about being in charge.” Rick started, hesitantly. “It’s more about… providing stability. Security. It’s about doing the right thing for your people, your pack. It means knowing that sometimes the right thing to do for everyone isn’t easy. Usually it’s not even the popular option. But it’s your job to get it done.”

Daryl nodded, expression seeming a little impressed. “Not a bad start.”

“Not all omegas are looking for a leader. Learned that first hand.” Rick added.

Daryl gave a short snort of laughter. “Damn right.”

“Being an alpha doesn’t mean that anyone is going to listen to you.” Rick sighed. “Everyone’s got an opinion, and they’re all going to argue with you. Sometimes they argue more just because you’re the guy in charge.”

Daryl made a gesture somewhere between a shrug and a nod. “Yeah, guess so now that you mention it…”

“I think that’s the important role stuff?” Rick offered, hesitantly.

“One more important thing.” Daryl added. “Don’t forget the part where having a knot don’t give you free claim on any bitch you want. This ain’t the old days.”

Rick felt his expression fall, swearing he could feel the color draining from his face. “I didn’t even think of that… Carl would never- He knows-”

“Don’t take chances.” Daryl shook his head. “You don’t know what info sticks once he’s got hormones running rampant through his head. And I’ll put the lil shit in the ground if he tries anything.”

“Careful now.” Rick teased a little. “Your mom side is starting to show.” He leaned a bit and rested his forehead on Daryl’s shoulder, sighing heavily.

Ruts were horrible. After that first one puberty slapped you with, they were rare, but that first one was almost always a doozy. He couldn’t imagine being a teenager going through his first heat in a group that had multiple omegas in it.

“This’ll be rough.” Rick shook his head.

Daryl shrugged. “He’s tough. He can handle it.”

“Can the rest of us?”

“Everybody’ll be fine. Only thing you gotta watch for is him around Lori.”

“Why Lori?” Rick frowned in confusion.

Daryl shrugged. “Alphas always get pissy around pregnant folks. Even you been doing it.”

Rick winced a bit. “And here I was thinking I was subtle.”

Daryl scoffed. “Not a damn bit, man.”

It was a bit of a relief at least, learning that there was a reason for his irrational anger and irritation toward Lori,and even if it wasn’t a whole answer it was enough of one to be an excuse.

Daryl shifted closer so he was shoulder to shoulder with Rick. “Rick…”

“Yes, darlin’?” Rick sighed.

“You did good getting us here.” Daryl said, softly. “You know that, right?”

“Thank you…”

“I mean it.” Daryl insisted. “You know I ain’t one to just talk.”

“I know,” Rick chuckled lightly.

Daryl put his head on Rick’s shoulder, smiling faintly as one hand slowly moved over Rick’s thigh and trailed teasingly to his belt buckle. 

“What are you doing?” Rick asked softly, glancing down to watch Daryl’s hand as it opened Rick’s jeans and pulled down his zipper. 

“Helping you relax.” Daryl shrugged his far shoulder, massaging over Rick’s bulge slowly before moving his hand inside the man’s underwear.

“You been taking such good care of everyone.” Daryl whispered, his long fingers moving slowly over Rick’s balls and massaging the sack lazily. 

“God, sugar...” Rick groaned softly. “You’re teasin’ me.” He had expected that he would be too exhausted to get hard, but between it being Daryl touching him and the terrible sexual frustration of the last few weeks, he was fully hard within minutes.

“Mm-Hmm.” Daryl hummed, resting his head on Rick’s shoulder and fully blocking his actions from the group’s view. 

“C’mon, sugar. Don’t make me beg.” Rick whispered, his tone far too close to begging from just a little bit of light touching. “Been too long.” 

It had been too long. They hadn’t found a safe place to unwind and be together in weeks. They had gotten distracted during a hunting trip away from the group about a week ago, and Rick had ended up with Daryl pinned to a tree, the two of them making out and grinding like horny teens. A walker approaching them had interrupted that, and Daryl barely saved Rick’s ass.

Daryl gave a content, almost purr sound, nuzzling Rick’s jawline and finally wrapping his fingers around Rick’s length. He toyed with the stretch marks near the base of Rick’s cock, where his knot formed, with the calloused tips of his fingers. Daryl let out a soft, shaky breath before biting his own bottom lip for a moment. “When we get time... I’m not gonna let you get dressed for a whole day.” 

“Is that so?” Rick asked, his voice gaining a low growl at the end. He liked that idea, spending a whole day wrapped up in Daryl and the heavy scent of sex in the air...

“Yeah...” Daryl breathed, licking his lips and starting to stroke Rick’s cock more steadily. 

“We’re gonna get the showers running.” Rick rasped. “Then I’m gonna find a bed and lay you out on it. Miss being between your legs. Can’t wait to have you slick and needy on my tongue...” He grunted, his hips jerking once. 

“Can’t wait.” Daryl promised, biting Rick’s ear lobe lightly and massaging his thumb over the head of Rick’s cock. 

“Feels so good, sugar.” Rick whispered, his breathing getting heavier and the short jerking movements of his hips getting more frequent. 

“Come for me.” Daryl whispered against his ear. “Please, _alpha_.”

Rick’s body stilled and he came only seconds after Daryl’s request, shuddering gasps and panting were his only response as he came down. 

“So good for me.” Daryl praised, bringing his hand to his lips and licking his fingers clean one by one.

Rick groaned wearily, his head falling back toward the sky. His lips curled into a small smile and he glanced over at Daryl. “You sure know how to make a man feel better.” 

“‘S my job.” Daryl shrugged, settling back against Rick’s shoulder.

“So, where did the calling me ‘alpha’ thing come from?” Rick asked absently, trying to sound nonchalant while Daryl, ever the gentleman, returned Rick to his jeans and made sure they were fully fastened.

“Seemed like something you’d like.” Daryl shrugged. “Thought I’d try.”

“I did.” Rick admitted. “Not all the time but… you know, little surprises sometimes.”

Daryl nodded. “I’ll remember that.” 

Rick smiled, pressing a soft kiss to his mate’s temple. “You need me to-”

“Shh, you can make it up to me later. Just wanna stay here for now.” Daryl shook his head. “Just… enjoy the moment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family.
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


	2. Episode Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking the prison doesn't go quite like Rick planned, and it requires a lot more effort than they expected. Along with finding some unexpected occupants, who bring their own issues as well.

Once inside the cell block, everyone separated into pairs to pick cells to sleep in. Rick imagined that they would probably split into singles once everyone was comfortable - content that the prison wasn’t going to be ripped away from them in seconds. Rick really hoped it wouldn’t be, it was such a big find. A damn blessing.

Daryl had mentioned not wanting to sleep in a cell and Rick, thankfully, had a solution that wasn’t sleeping on the perch.

“Darlin’, before you get comfortable,” Rick looked up at Daryl,, pulling the blankets from one of the lower cells and wrapping them up under his arm. “Come check something out with me?”Daryl shrugged, setting aside his bag and crossbow before coming down to follow Rick.

Rick led him to the entry of the cell block before pointing up to the security room. It was backed into a corner, with windows on all sides so that it had a clear view of the cell block It had to, after all - security had to be able to see everyone.

“That’s where I found our keys.” Rick explained. “Security room. Full view of the entry and the cell block. We could use some sheets as curtains, but, I mean, could be a nice spot.”

“You want this spot for privacy or because you’re damn paranoid?” Daryl asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Both.” Rick sighed. “I don’t like the idea of sleeping in a cell any more than you do. We can bring in a mattress or two… it's only got to work for sleeping, right?”

“For the most part.” Daryl shrugged, heading toward the narrow set of stairs leading to the security tower.

“A little privacy would be nice.” Rick smiled, following Daryl up.

“It’s like a nest.” Daryl commented. “Big perch in the sky.”

Daryl pushed open the door and stepped inside. There was a desk covering the length of one wall, with a panel covered in buttons - labelled for each cell.

The dead security guard Rick had taken keys from before was still in his chair there, and Daryl glanced over to Rick. “Friend of yours?”

“Not even a little.” Rick shook his head, setting aside his blankets and inclining his head toward the guard. “Want to evict him?”

Daryl gave a short huff of laughter and nodded, helping Rick grab the body on either side and shoving it down to the floor from the top of the stairs. It made a heavy thump as it hit the floor. Daryl glanced over at it, shrugging his shoulders and stepping back inside the security booth.

Between the two of them, they made a decent pallet on the floor and curled up together.

Rick didn’t think he had ever fallen asleep so fast.

* * *

The next morning, Rick helped count over the inventory of SWAT gear they had commandeered from the walkers. Beside him, Carl was trying on a helmet, and Rick tried not to laugh at how it immediately fell forward on the boy. It was far too big for him.

Rick’s attention turned to Daryl, who was looking at the gear with a curled lip of disgust.

“You sure I can’t convince you to wear some of the gear?” Rick asked.

Daryl glanced up and glared. “Told you. Ain’t enough fucking wood in the forest to boil that shit clean enough to wear.” He pulled his crossbow over his shoulder like usual, standing by the cell block exit waiting on the others.

“It would be safer.” Rick pointed out, before trying a different tactic: “I would be a lot happier if you did.”

As per usual, Daryl didn’t fall for the typical alpha tactic. Instead, he grinned at Rick playfully and answered: “Yeah, but then my arms would be all covered. Know you hate that.”

Rick let out a short huff and bit back a retort. He did really like looking at Daryl - a blind man would notice Rick staring... But Daryl usually wasn’t so openly playful. It was a little flustering.

“I’d hate to see you hurt even more.” Rick finally answered, with a quiet sigh. “Just be safe?”

Daryl rolled his eyes and walked over to Rick, catching his chin and lifting his gaze so that they were eye to eye. He pressed a soft kiss to Rick’s lips and murmured: “I’m always safe. Don’t worry so much.”

Behind them, T-Dog cleared his throat. “If y’all are done doing the cutesy married couple thing, can we get this show on the road?”

Around them, Glenn, Maggie, and Hershel all laughed. Rick tucked his head a bit sheepishly and nodded.

* * *

In Rick’s mind, he wasn’t sure the cafeteria run could have gone any worse. Well, it could have - everyone could have died - but Rick knew that people tended to exaggerate when under intense stress.

Hershel was bitten. And in a moment of blind panic, Rick had used his belt to tourniquet Hershel’s leg before using his hatchet to cut it off. He didn’t know what had led him to think that it would work... He just knew they couldn’t lose Hershel. Not with Lori about to give birth, not when they had just gotten to safety, not when they finally had a chance _to thrive._

Rick glanced up at Daryl, using him as a focal point so that he could get his breathing slowed to a steady rate, but he began to notice that Daryl’s gaze wasn’t on him. Daryl’s attention was glued to a spot over Rick’s shoulder, looking at the far wall.

When Daryl gave the quiet order to duck, Rick didn’t hesitate, barely managing to avoid slamming his head on the concrete floor in the process. His eyes jumped back to his mate, who was now standing with his bow aimed and locked on a target.

Rick slowly lifted his head, following Daryl’s line of sight to the far wall… To a group of survivors on the other side of the grated window.

One of them spoke: “ **Holy shit.”**

Rick thought about responding, maybe even drawing his gun and just firing on the line of men. For the briefest moment, he didn’t care that these were humans - Actual, living people. Survivors. - he would do anything to protect his family.

“Rick, we have to move Hershel.” Glenn’s voice drew Rick’s focus back to his own group. “He’ll bleed out.”

Rick nodded, taking a deep breath to regain his leader's head space. “We gotta move.” He had to get the older alpha to safety. He wasn’t losing anyone. Not today.

* * *

Rick jumped into action from what felt like slow motion. They lifted Hershel onto the wheeled cart, and began the march back to their cleared block. Their group of five stayed in a close circle around the cart, apart from Daryl who ducked around corners first before returning to his position. He was making sure that they weren’t walking face first into a small herd of walkers, although that didn’t stop Rick from calling Daryl’s name in panic every time he disappeared from sight, but each time Daryl bobbed right back into view.

They made it back to the cell block and got Hershel into one of the cells. Rick stepped away while Carol gave instructions, taking control of what repairs and clean up they could do for Hershel.

Daryl brushed past Rick once Hershel was being cared for, squeezing Rick’s bicep once before moving back to the entry of the cell block. He clearly expected the inmates to follow them, which was a pretty reasonable assessment.

Rick focused on the gentle pull he felt through their bond, taking comfort in how similar it felt to a warm embrace.

* * *

After hearing the first shouts, Rick pulled Glenn aside and ordered him sharply to stay beside Hershel. He couldn’t let Maggie be the one who had to put Hershel down if he died. After a second shout, Rick spun on his heel and hurried out of the cell block.

He was through the entry of the cell block before he could even think. Daryl was out there, and there were five of those inmates. Thankfully, T-Dog was already there, flanking Daryl and with his gun drawn. Rick mimicked his position on Daryl’s other side. He felt so proud of his mate at that moment - it was very encouraging.

Daryl was braced and bowed up as much as any alpha Rick had ever seen - no sign of submission or give in him at all. Rick couldn’t see Daryl’s expression but he pictured it vividly in his mind. He’d seen it on the rooftop in Atlanta when they didn’t find Merle, and he knew how terrifying that was.

What the inmates didn’t know was that Daryl would wait for Rick’s cue to fire. Well, unless any of them made a move toward his family. He wasn’t going to hesitate.

The leader of the inmates, or at least their spokesman, decided to speak then, his gun still pointed toward Daryl. His attention, though, was turned toward Rick. **“How many of you in there?”**

 **“Too many for you to handle.”** Rick replied, feeling just the tiniest bit snide.

 **“You guys rob a bank or something? Why don’t you take him to a hospital?”** The leader of the inmates gestured toward the cell block to indicate Hershel.

T-Dog and Daryl glanced at Rick. They had all realized now… these guys had been in that cafeteria since the beginning.

 **“How long have you guys been in that cafeteria?”** Rick asked, softly, taking a step forward so he was about level with Daryl.

The leader of the inmates was starting to look concerned, the arm holding the gun beginning to waver a little. A smug part of Rick noted that neither of his men had even a slight tremor, and that Daryl’s crossbow hadn’t lowered an inch.

 **“Going on like ten months.”** The leader spoke, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug.

The others began speaking up now, starting with the big one and bouncing through the rest, as they explained how a riot had led to them being locked in the cafeteria.The blond one spoke up at one point and earned a harsh command to shut up from more than just the leader - this was very obviously their bottom rung on the totem pole, And it could be useful information in the future.

Daryl stayed at Rick’s side as they walked the inmates outside. He had his crossbow lowered, but didn’t put it on his shoulder as he usually would. He was still bristling and on edge.

Rick kept his eyes on the group they were leading out. The lead one kept glancing back toward Daryl, with a look that set Rick’s nerves on edge. He wasn’t a killer. He wasn’t an evil man, but if this man for a second tried anything… Rick wouldn’t blink. Maybe no killing would truly phase him now, after Shane... He didn’t want to find out.

Once out in the courtyard, the questions began. Was this a disease? Yeah, and they were all infected. Rick was rather blunt with it - he didn’t care too much about sparing their feelings or how they would take all of the information.

The leader began trying to take charge, trying to tell Rick that his group could take a corner of one of the fields, which Rick didn’t agree to.

The leader kept looking towards Daryl, several feet away, with that same look from before. He would focus on Rick while they spoke, but his attention always drifted back. Had he realized what Daryl was, from their short interactions? Ten months locked in a cafeteria could certainly lead to some sensitivities. Their minds would be drifting toward women, or omegas, or men, if that was their preference… Something in the leader’s eyes told Rick that he didn’t care what Daryl was - that breaking his spirit would be part of the enjoyment.

The rounds of arguing continued in circles until the leader drew his gun again, and Rick saw the crossbow come into his peripheral vision in less than a second. How Daryl could silently move that quickly, and that distance, would continue to baffle Rick.

The leader glanced over again, and Rick was starting to get seriously pissed off at the way the man so blatantly and openly looked over Daryl like a piece of meat.

With a little more verbal maneuvering, Rick succeeded in securing them half of whatever was left in the cafeteria. He didn’t care if it was a dozen cans or one bag of bread crumbs, he had the upper hand here and these people were going to know it.

He issued a very firm warning that should the inmates interfere with his people once they had their cell block, if he so much as smelled one of them, _he would kill them_. And he meant it without a moment of hesitation. Especially the leader - Tomas - he had come to find out. Rick found himself half hoping that the bastard would screw up, just so that Rick had an excuse to kill him. It was definitely not a road of thought which Rick wanted to start down - it made him a bit dizzy and nauseous to think about.

Rick and his people went back into their cell block, mostly so they could stock up on what weapons they would need and to update the rest of the group on the plan.

Lori made it a point to pull Rick aside, and assure him that whatever decision he felt was right when it came to the inmates was correct.Rick appreciated the reassurance, even if it was from her, and chose to see it as a friendly comfort - as he always tried to when it came to Lori these days.

Once the others were ready, Rick gave a short nod, and walked with them to regroup with the prisoners.

* * *

Simple instructions: Stay tight. Aim for the brain.

The big inmate, aptly named Big Tiny, had fallen back and been bitten. And between trying to explain that there was no way to save him, and the inmates shouting because they thought Rick was choosing to sentence Big Tiny to death, Tomas bashed the man’s head in.

His expression was blank, uncaring that he had just ended the life of a man he spent ten months in such close proximity with, and Rick wasn’t the only one on edge afterwards, not from the way Daryl had fallen back to his side.

 **“You seen the look on his face?”** Daryl asked, voice barely a breath so that it wouldn’t carry in the large empty halls.

Rick gave one short nod. **“If he makes one move…”**

 **“Just give me a signal**.” Daryl answered, bumping his shoulder against Rick’s. 

Rick would never understand how Daryl could read him so easily, but he didn’t mind it, especially in moments like this. Their bond let them speak with a glance, or small gesture. If they actually focused and tested it, who knew to what extent their bond could connect them...Rick didn’t linger on that thought for too long though, focusing on the present instead. 

They made it into the prison laundry room, moving to a door on the other side, which would reach the next cellblock. Rick threw the keys at Tomas’s feet, looking at him expectantly.

Tomas scoffed, shaking his head **. “I ain’t opening that.”**

 **“Oh yes, you are.”** Rick responded, bluntly, and never looking away from the other’s blood stained face. **“If you want this cell block… you’re gonna open that door, just the one. Not both. Because we need to control this.”** Tomas glanced at the people around him, his gaze lingering just a little over Rick’s shoulder, before he bent down and grabbed the keys. He looked over at one of these men, the little one, Andrew, before pulling open the doors. Both of them.

 **“I said one door.”** Rick snapped, bracing for the incoming fight.

 **“Shit happens.”** Tomas shrugged, shoving past Rick and into the fray. 

Tomas was shouldered in between Rick and Daryl now - a good position for safety, between two of the quickest fighters. It was also a good position to be in if your intent was to hit Rick, and Rick barely managed to duck out of the way of Tomas’s makeshift pickaxe, catching the man’s eye briefly. Tomas gave him a brief smirk, before moving forward and stabbing one walker in the back and shoving it onto Rick.

Rick stumbled back, hitting the ground hard under the weight of the walker, where he struggled to keep its gnashing teeth from his face, unable to get his knife into position.

A few feet away, Daryl grabbed a handful of Tomas’s tank top and threw him forward, lunging over to kill the walker on top of Rick before throwing it aside. Rick stretched to grab his knife from where it had fallen, and accepted Daryl’s outstretched hand. They silently checked on one other, both answering with a short nod. Rick ducked low to move into an open space, and Daryl’s crossbow stayed above his shoulder.

The room grew quiet, the last of the walkers falling to the ground, empty save for the heavy breathing of the men.

Tomas turned to face Rick, giving a shrug **. “It was coming at me, man.”**

 **“Yeah, I get it.”** Rick sighed, glancing to Daryl before focusing back on Tomas. **“I get it… shit happens.”**

Rick’s eyes locked to Tomas’s. Several long seconds passed before Rick’s decision was made: he couldn’t let something that dangerous so near to his family and Daryl…

Rick brought his machete down hard on Tomas’s head, listening to the cracking of his skull. Behind him, he heard Andrew shout. Rick pushed Tomas to his knees and used his boot to shove the carcass to the floor, freeing his machete. He caught sight of Andrew’s bat, aimed for his head, and kicked Andrew’s knee out from under him, leaving Andrew scrambling on the floor. He knew that behind him, Daryl’s bow was aimed and pointing toward Oscar, and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw T-Dog doing the same to the other one, Axel.

When Andrew ran, Rick was right on his heels, heart pounding in his ears. His breathing felt too slow, quiet and calm… like a predator on the hunt. He slid around the corner, spinning on one heel and charging toward the external door, which Andrew had just opened. He followed the inmate out to the yard and paused, noticing the walkers. And in a moment of cold indifference, Rick pulled the barred door closed, leaning his weight back to keep it closed while Andrew pulled desperately on the other side.

Rick looked into the man’s panicked eyes and shrugged, giving his only words: **“You better run.”**

For a moment, Rick felt a small wave of guilt. He wasn’t the type to sentence a man to death, but that was exactly what he was doing... Rick pulled the heavy exterior door closed and turned, quickly going back to the laundry room.

The one inmate, Axel, begged for their lives, panicking and pleading. The other, Oscar, was quietly resigned.

 **“Daryl, let’s end this now.”** Rick said sharply, pressing the muzzle of his gun to Axel’s forehead. Behind him, Daryl had moved over to Oscar, his knife held to the man’s throat.

Axel continued to plead, becoming frantic, and Rick felt the building fire in his chest simmer a bit when Axel sobbed the words: “ **I want to live.”** _He wouldn’t kill a man begging for his life._

He spun toward Oscar in one quick motion, looking down the barrel of the Python expectantly: He wanted Oscar to give him a reason to spare him as well.

 **“What about you?”** Rick asked, voice quiet and calm sounding.

 **“I ain’t never pleaded for my life.”** Oscar answered. “ **And I ain’t about to start now. So you do what you gotta do.”**

Rick glanced up to Daryl, and the younger man nodded in agreement. They took Axel and Oscar to the newly cleared cell block and locked them inside.

As quickly as possible, they were back to cell block C.

Carl bounced over excitedly, telling Rick quickly about how Lori had saved Hershel’s life. Rick gave a small nod, his mind too frazzled to focus. He would process and talk to his son later.

Rick felt Daryl’s watchful gaze on his back and turned to face him. He felt a warm squeeze in his chest and smiled faintly in return. Daryl wouldn’t talk while they were in front of the group, not when Rick was like this, but he still reached out to comfort his mate in the best way he could...

Rick followed Lori away from the group, to the catwalk outside.

 **“What are we going to do, Rick?”** Lori asked, quietly.

“ **We’ll start cleaning tomorrow.”** Rick answered. He knew it wasn’t what she was asking about, but it was the safe answer.

“ **Yeah, and give Carl a safe place to… do whatever he does these days.”** Lori answered, nodding.

Just from her voice, Rick could hear how exhausted she was. She was carrying the weight of her pregnancy, of her guilt, of just trying to be better...Part of Rick wanted to hug her, to comfort her, and promise that they would figure things out like always. But he couldn’t move that little foot of distance between them. It felt like miles… and he was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of being angry, tired of being upset. With a few words they could let it go. Rick could relieve some of her pain, and some of his own, but the words just wouldn’t come.

“I want you to be the baby’s dad.” She said, softly. “Maybe you’re not the father, but you’re a good dad, Rick. And I want this baby to have that…”

Rick nodded quietly. He could do that. He had always planned to, right from the beginning.

 **“For the record, I don’t think you’re a bad mother.”** Rick offered, glancing over.

She gave a short chuckle and lowered her head. **“Yeah, well, wife is a different story.”**

Rick couldn’t argue that one and he damn sure didn’t want to try.

 **“We got food. Hershel’s alive… today was a good day.”** Lori sighed, her voice wavering a little. 

Rick could hear the edge to her voice, the weight of her guilt and desire to right things… If only they could bridge that little distance, just reach out and catch each other in the harsh storm...

“I was hoping we could talk about us…” She said, softly. “But maybe there’s nothing left to talk about.”

Rick sighed. There it was. She was offering an olive branch… but he couldn’t do it. He just wasn’t there yet.

He reached a hand out stiffly, putting it on her shoulder like he was comforting her, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He needed air. He needed space. Hell, he needed Daryl. Rick dropped his hand from her shoulder and nodded, turning to walk back inside. That was all he had left in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family.
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


	3. After Episode Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy, this chapter is pure Rickyl smut, guys. Not necessarily important to plot but the boys need some fun before what is about to come!

“Ah, fuck, Rick.” Daryl groaned, his fingers curling tightly around the edge of the desk in the tower, his body rocking forward with every thrust from the alpha behind him.

There was a low growl in the back of Rick’s throat, a quiet warning that he was with his mate and no one should risk interrupting. Hell, he might actually shoot something.

From behind, Rick was at a different angle, and he was managing to hit Daryl’s sweet spot with every slight movement. It was dizzying on both ends - Rick’s hands were on Daryl’s hips, whilst Daryl had one hand on the desk and the other squeezing Rick’s hand.

“Was so angry…” Rick panted against the back of Daryl’s neck, burying his nose in his mate’s hair. “That bastard kept looking at you, like a piece of fucking meat...”

“Fuck, Rick!” Daryl cried out from the force of it, nearly doubled over the desk. He would have a bruise from where the desk was digging into his lower stomach, but that seemed like a problem for future Daryl. “Shit, least gimme a reach around if you’re gonna be like this.” 

“No.” Rick growled, dragging his hands up Daryl’s sides and pinning his hands to the desk. He shifted his fingers a little, letting them interlock with Daryl’s.

Rick dimly thought about how unfair this was to Daryl, using him like human stress relief, but that thought faded once he remembered that Daryl was the one who had pulled him over and started this. Beneath him, Daryl shuddered, his brow furrowing and his teeth worrying at his bottom lip. His breathing was heavy, just on the other side of too fast, and wet slick was coating his inner thighs - thick enough that every movement Rick made a loud squishing sound in the small tower.

“Rick...” he whispered, trying a different tactic: “Please...” 

Rick never let Daryl beg. It felt wrong. But right now, Rick was chasing the high that came from being so close to his mate… He felt like he needed to drown in it. He pressed his forehead against the back of Daryl’s shoulder, groaning low in his chest.

Daryl swallowed hard and decided to use his ace.

“A-alpha.” Daryl whispered, his cheeks burning hot with embarrassment. He felt small and weak using that term, it just reminded him more of what he was, but he knew what effect it had on Rick.

And Rick did seem to focus more, pressing hot, open mouthed kisses up the back of Daryl’s neck and around to the mating mark scar, just under his ear. Daryl tilted his head to the side, offering his neck silently. 

Rick always felt better after biting. _It was a reassurance that nothing was pulling them apart._ If Rick refreshed their bond, he would feel better, Daryl could sense it. He closed his eyes, trying to use the bond to express to Rick how much he wanted it. Daryl knew he wouldn’t be able to voice the offer, not out loud. It made him just a little nauseous to think about it.

Rick seemed to understand, grazing his teeth slowly over the mark.

“Oh god,” Daryl groaned under his breath, embarrassment quickly slipping away as eagerness overtook it. “C’mon, Rick. Want it.”

Rick sped up his thrusts for several moments, the drag of his forming knot making a bubble of excitement begin to build in Daryl’s stomach.

Daryl bit his lip hard, fighting desperately to hold back his orgasm. He was so fucking _close_.

“Hang on, sugar.” Rick groaned, sounding more himself, compared to the primal snarls he had been letting out. “Just... Just a little more...”

The moment Rick’s knot stuck, Daryl finally let go, coming with a loud moan of Rick’s name. His knees trembled but he managed to stay standing.

With a low growl, Rick sank his teeth down into the mating mark, leaving it freshly bloody.

“Rick...” Daryl whispered, pulling Rick’s hand down to his stomach, where he let the alpha feel his muscles flutter under the skin as Rick’sorgasm filled him.

Rick dropped his face back to Daryl’s shoulder, groaning quietly as he rode out the waves.

“You feeling better?” Daryl whispered, softly, his free hand moving back to gently stroke Rick’s cheek.

“Mm-hmm.” Came Rick’s quiet reply, his head nodding sleepily.

“You’re so damn possessive sometimes.” Daryl murmured, massaging his fingers through Rick’s hair.

“Tomas was dangerous,” Rick mumbled, “And he kept looking at you like you were a piece of meat. You’re not for some alpha piece of shit to snarl over and think he can take.”

“So you killed him to protect me, that’s what you’re going with?” Daryl asked, quietly, turning his head to the side to try and look more at Rick.

“Our people were in danger too.” Rick whispered. “But, it was mostly to protect you. After Shane- I was going to let someone touch you again.”

“You protected me. He never touched me. Because you were there.” Daryl assured him, stroking Rick’s ego a little, to soothe him. When knotted, Rick always was a little floaty; _like a happy dog._

Daryl felt Rick’s lips spread in a grin against his back, and he knew he’d said what Rick needed.

“Thank you, darling.” Rick whispered, kissing up the line of Daryl’s neck and hugging him around his waist, keeping him close and steady on his feet. He rolled his hips in a shallow circle, to give his mate a little stimulation, and murmured: “Mm... feels so good like this.”

“Shit.” Daryl shuddered, curling his fingers tightly in Rick’s hair. “C’mon, Rick. You know I’m sensitive right now.”

“Sorry, darling.” Rick whispered. “Just love the way you squeeze around me... like you want to hold tight and never let me go.”

“Rick...” Daryl complained. “I can’t do ‘nother round. Don’t go teasin.”

Rick sighed, tentatively checking to see if he could pull out yet, but to no avail. “Okay, darlin. You wanna lay down?”

Daryl nodded, quietly, and Rick grabbed him around the waist, maneuvering them both down onto the pallet of blankets they had prepared.

“You remember when we couldn’t do that?” Rick chuckled.

“Had to stay standing for an hour.” Daryl complained, softly.. “Yeah. It sucked. Legs were killing me afterwards.”

Rick chuckled again and rubbed his mate’s lower belly, kissing over the freshly bloody bite.

“Are you all full?” Rick murmured, pressing on the spot below Daryl’s belly button.

Daryl groaned, squirming a little. He could feel the squelching inside - he would be a mess once Rick could pull out of him.

“You think you’ll enjoy having a baby around?” Rick asked, quietly. “When Lori has hers, I mean. You’re built to be good with them.”

“I don’t know.” Daryl sighed. “Ain’t been around babies before.”

Rick hummed, nuzzling Daryl’s shoulder. “I can’t wait to see you holding a baby. Even if it isn’t ours. You’ll still look so beautiful...”

Daryl decided that this argument wasn’t worth having right now. Rick always got to thinking about pups mid knot. He was an alpha, he naturally wanted Daryl to have pups with him. He consciously respected Daryl’s desire not to have children, but that didn’t mean his inner alpha didn’t crave it every time they had sex.

“Maybe one day we can have our own.” Daryl said “Ain’t making any promises, but... maybe.”

“Really?” Rick asked, obviously awed, and peering around to look at Daryl. “You’d think about it?”

Daryl nodded, slowly, after a brief hesitation. “Yeah... I mean... it’ll make you happy. And if we can do it safe one day then... then maybe I won’t be so against it.”

“You’re amazing.” Rick whispered, kissing all over Daryl’s neck and cheek - everywhere he could reach.

“I didn’t promise anything.” Daryl insisted.

“But you went from saying you’d never have kids to saying you’ll think about it for me.” Rick whispered against his ear, “That’s so much, darlin’.”

“Damn, emotional alpha crap.” Daryl mumbled, although in his heart he loved Rick’s soft and sweet side.

They stayed in silence for several more long minutes, until Rick was finally able to slip out of Daryl. He coaxed his mate into laying on his back and wet the rag usually in Daryl’s pocket with a bottle of water, before starting to clean down his legs and between his cheeks. Like always, he couldn’t help but pay special attention to Daryl’s puckered hole.

Daryl squirmed, biting his bottom lip to stay quiet. After being knotted, his hole felt so tender, but Rick was always gentle, cleaning Daryl up so that he wouldn’t leak when he got dressed.

“You want me to handle the rest?” Rick asked,gently, pressing his fingertips against Daryl’s hole.

Daryl groaned in complaint before nodding, pulling one leg up to his stomach so that Rick could finish what he was doing. Daryl squirmed, wincing but feeling grateful for Rick’s long fingers cleaning out the remnants of his own orgasm from Daryl.

“Hate this part.” Daryl mumbled.

“I’ve offered a dozen times to clean it up the way you like.” Rick pointed out.

“You ain’t eating your own come out of my ass.” Daryl complained.

“Told you I could spit it out.” Rick mumbled, disappointed anda little sulky.

“Ain’t happening.” Daryl said, firmly.

Rick rolled his eyes and said:

“All I’d taste is you. I could clean your thighs first... get sweet slick all over my face... then I get to eat you out, make you come all over again maybe.”

Daryl squirmed, swatting away Rick’s hand where it had snaked up between Daryl’s legs.

“Will you let me one day?” Rick whispered, “During heat maybe? We’ll get you all clean so you don’t have to worry about anything sticking...”

Daryl groaned, sitting up to reach for his jeans. “Jesus, Rick. You’re a horn dog. Worse than Glenn and Maggie sneaking around all day long.”

“You can’t really blame me.” Rick protested, grabbing Daryl’s arm and pushing him to lay flat on his back. He moved to lay between Daryl’s legs, grinding gently against him and holding him down. “I’ve got a beautiful mate in front of me, still covered in my scent and who I can have begging in just a few minutes.”

Daryl turned his head to the side, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“We’ve still got time before we have to get back.” Rick whispered. “One more, sugar?”

Daryl bit his lip at the pet name, which Rick only used during sex. It was unfair and Rick knew it.

“If you’re so sure it’s that easy.” Daryl challenged, glancing up at Rick. “Then do it.”

Rick grinned, leaning in close to his mate’s ear with a growl, which he knew always got Daryl excited. It caused Daryl to jump and bite his bottom lip, holding back a low moan.

 _Fucking cheating bastard…_ He was using Daryl’s weak spots.

And sure enough, those muscular thighs clenched and Daryl shuddered, pulling Rick tightly against his chest.

Rick nipped at Daryl’s ear lobe, before biting kisses down his neck and letting his tongue drag lightly over the fresh mark.

“Better now?” Rick whispered, rubbing his hands down Daryl’s sides and settling on his hips.

Daryl nodded, licking his lips. “C’mon. Get on me.”

Rick chuckled softly, bringing one hand down between Daryl’s legs and running his fingers lightly between Daryl’s cheeks.

“Always so eager for me.” Rick murmured, easily pressing three fingers into his mate.

Daryl moaned, his eyes rolling shut. “Why do you only ever want to talk after you get me hard?”

“Because,” Rick whispered, curling his fingers and pulling a low moan from his mate’s sweet lips. “All this slick... All because you’re excited for me. It’s a hell of an ego boost, sugar.”

“Stop...” Daryl groaned.

“I mean it.” Rick grinned, massaging his mate’s prostate whilst the young omega gasped, loudly, the muscles in his stomach clenching rhythmically with each movement of Rick’s fingers.

“Fuck, Rick.” Daryl said, reaching down to grab at Rick’s arm and try and slow him down.

“R-Rick...” he groaned, squirming desperately. “Fu-fuck-”

Rick continued to coax his mate’s sweet spot, leaning up and molding his lips over a nipple, worrying it gently with his teeth.

“Rick, please.” Daryl whined, bucking his hips. “Enough playing around. Put your dick in me already.”

Rick chuckled, softly: “Sorry, sugar. But if you don’t want me cleaning you out again, I can’t.”

Daryl whimpered, giving Rick a pleading look. The expression on his face was similar to the haze he got during heats, right about the time he was in the middle of a wave… _it was so beautiful._ His lips were red and parted slightly, his eyes pressed shut, while his bangs stuck to his face. Further down, his cock was flushed nearly as red as his cheeks, precome pouring from the head.

“Come on, darling.” Rick whispered. “Come on. For your alpha. Show me how good it feels.”

Daryl whimpered, arching his back sharply and nearly screaming as he came for the second time, his body shaking and quivering as he was milked dry from wave after wave of his orgasm. Minutes passed before he collapsed, completely limp against their pallet. Rick smiled down at him, slowly pulling his fingers out of his mate and rubbing his clean hand gently down Daryl’s side soothingly.Daryl was panting hard, a slight tremor running through him. Every part of him felt tender and oversensitive.

“Come back to me, darling,” Rick whispered. “You did so good.”

Daryl slowly opened his eyes, his gaze distant and foggy until he quickly blinked a few times, and slowly turned to face Rick. “Hey...”

“Welcome back, beautiful.” Rick said, reaching up to push Daryl’s bangs gently from his face. “You okay, darling? I thought I lost you for a minute there.”

“That was weird.” Daryl muttered, raising one trembling hand to wipe his forehead. “Felt kinda like heat, but… not?”

“Bad weird?” Rick asked, gently, once again pushing Daryl’s bangs from his face.

Daryl winced, shifting a little so that he could lay on his side. “Not bad just… a lot.”

“Too much?” Rick clarified.

“After a knot, yeah.” Daryl nodded.

“I’m sorry, darling.” Rick whispered. “Not again, okay? We go back to how we were doing it. Night stops after a knot, alright?”

Daryl nodded, once again in agreement. “Yeah. Good idea.”

Rick smiled, bending down and kissing Daryl softly.

“You’re still hard.” Daryl mumbled against his lips.

“And you’re exhausted.” Rick said, softly. “It’s okay, Daryl. Just close your eyes and rest up. You’re going to want to do guard watch tonight, I know you.”

Daryl smiled, closing his eyes. “You know me so well, do you?”

“Inside and out, darling.” Rick grinned, lying in front of him and kissing Daryl’s cheek. “Good night, love.”

“Three hours. That’s it.” Daryl said, firmly. “Any later and I’ll kick your ass.”

“Three hours.” Rick promised, knowing full well that he probably wouldn’t keep it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family.
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


	4. Episode Four

**“They were just up there last night.”**

Rick sounded confused, and Daryl rolled his eyes.

Of course - why would two perfectly healthy young people, who were in a relationship, want to find somewhere private - after eight months of living on top of each other, in a group which included both friends and family - not once, but twice within a twelve-hour period?

“C’mon, Rick.” He said, before cupping his hands over his mouth and yelling: **“Glenn! Maggie!”**

The door of the guard tower opened just a few moments later, revealing a shirtless Glenn who was very obviously fastening his jeans as quickly as humanly possible.

**“What’s up, guys?”** Glenn called down. He tried to seem casual and failed miserably, causing Daryl to glance back at Rick, matching grins spreading across both of their faces

**“You comin’?”** Daryl shouted, before he turned back towards the guard tower.  _ Oh, Glenn wasn't living this down for a long, long time. _

**“What?”** Glenn asked, glancing quickly towards Maggie before looking back at the group on the ground.

**“You comin’?”** Daryl repeated, putting emphasis on the latter word, which drew laughter from his companions - Rick’s laughter joined by Carol’s and T-Dog’s. It was nice to know that everyone had a hint of dirty humor left in their bones. Thinking fast, he added:  **“C’mon, we could use a hand.”**

**“Yeah, we’ll be right down.”** Glenn said, ducking back inside the tower.

“At least they found somewhere we didn’t have to hear them,” Carol said, “It isn’t easy to sleep around so much noise.”

Daryl looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her. “Don’t make it sound like you got a whole bunch of that shit around ya in there.”

“Nah,” T-Dog laughed, “Sure all that growling last night was just the walkers.”

Daryl spun around, a retort already formed, before he noticed T-Dog’s line of sight.

**“Hey Rick.”** T-Dog said, nodding.

Rick’s wide grin faded quickly into a scowl, and he began to make a beeline toward the fence. He did not turn to face Daryl, but Daryl knew the man’s quiet request of “ **Come with me** ” was unspoken. 

Near the fence, the inmates gave a nice speech about how they had paid their dues inside of the prison, and how they now wanted to join the group, but when Rick turned his head a bit to look toward Daryl, Daryl gave a slow shake of his head. It was stupid to think that these guys were good men, just because they said so - with Hershel injured and Lori ready to pop… They couldn’t risk having that threat around.

A few minutes later, Daryl was locking the gate behind Axel and Oscar to seal them outside of the prison’s fences, and when he came back to the overturned bus, Rick was talking to T-Dog. Daryl frowned as he listened.

**“Are you serious?”** Rick asked, disbelief evident in his voice.  **“You want them living in a cell next to you? They’ll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons. You wanna go back to sleeping with one eye open?”**

T-Dog looked around the gathered group before turning back to Rick, saying:  **“I never stopped.”**

T-Dog so rarely spoke up in group decisions. He never argued with Rick - he just added his two cents of support and put his head down to work - so when the beta muttered those three quiet words, Daryl saw Rick falter.

**“Bring them into the fold** .” T-Dog encouraged, afterwhich Rick gave a heavy sigh and turned away,  **“If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves.”**

Glenn spoke up then. **“I don’t know. Axel seems a little unstable.”**

**“After all we’ve been through? We fought so hard for all this. What if they just decide to take it?”** Carol asked, softly.

**“It’s been just us for so long…”** Said Maggie, **“They’re strangers. I don’t…”** She shook her head and turned to face T-Dog.  **“It feels weird all of a sudden to have these other people around.”**

**“You brought us in.”** T-Dog said, quietly. He didn’t challenge, or push, and his hands stayed loose at his sides. Daryl honestly thought that it would just be easier if T-Dog had shouted and argued; then Maggie or Rick could have knocked him in the head to take some control of the situation back.

**“Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in your arms.”** Maggie reminded them, crossing her arms over her chest.  **“Didn’t give us a choice.”**

**“They can’t even kill walkers.”** Glenn added, trying to support his mate’s point.

**“They’re convicts. Bottom line.”** Carol insisted.

**“Those two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do.”** T-Dog shrugged, and turned to look at Rick.

Daryl almost couldn’t help but step in:

**“I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They’re degenerates, but they ain’t psychos. I could have been in there with them just as easy as I’m out here with you guys.”**

Rick looked toward him in surprise, and Daryl could see the image crossing his mind. Hell, Rick could have been the one to arrest Daryl, if he had slipped up back then, or Daryl could have been the one wearing that uniform, waiting on a group of strangers to decide his fate. Rick always did overthink.

**“So you with me?”** T-Dog asked, his tone not quite hopeful - but, like everyone else, he knew that Daryl’s voice would be the tipping point, one way or the other, when it came to Rick’s decision.

**“Hell no.”** Daryl said, firmly. He waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the front gate **. “Let’em take their chances out on the road. Just like we did.”**

**“What I’m saying, Daryl-”**

T-Dog was interrupted by Rick.

**“When I was a rookie, I arrested this kid. Nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. The kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation, during the trial… suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. And then, two weeks later, shot another girl.”** Rick’s attention was pointed toward T-Dog,  **“We’ve been through too much. Our deal with them stands.”**

Rick gave a quick nod, and Daryl followed close after him. The others soon after that.

“You think I made the right call?” Rick asked, quietly, glancing sideways to his mate.

Daryl nodded. “Agreed with you, didn’t I?”

“I know, but-”

Daryl interrupted him with a half chuckle, half scoff. “Yeah, you’re just thinking too damn hard again.”

“I don’t want innocent blood on my hands.” Rick said, softly.

Daryl shrugged, and Rick once again began to give directions.

**“We’ll give the prisoners a week’s worth of supplies for the road.”** Rick offered to T-Dog, still trying to be the diplomat. He just wanted everyone in his group happy. Safety first, but happiness was important to him too.

**“Might not last a week,”** T-Dog shook his head, very clearly not happy with this all in the slightest.

Rick gave a one-shoulder shrug.  **“It’s their choice.”**

**“Did they really have one?** ” T-Dog asked.

Rick scowled, stepping over and grabbing T-Dog’s arm. “ **Whose blood would you rather have on your hands? Maggie’s, Glenn’s, or theirs?”**

T-Dog sighed, heavily, and shook his head.  **“Neither.”**

* * *

Almost immediately after locking the gate behind Axel and Oscar, things went bad. Fast.

One minute, Rick was watching Hershel in the yard with Lori, Carl, and Beth. The man was back on his feet, well, foot… Looking back on it later, Rick remembered Glenn’s words ‘ **Can’t we just have one good day?** ’ God, he wished they could. Just one day where everything didn’t go to shit. From Carl’s first scream of  **‘Walkers!’** things had gone downhill. 

Rick ran for his family as quickly as he could, with Daryl right on his heels and Glenn only a few steps behind. He vaguely remembered hearing Maggie yell for Lori, but they had disappeared from sight before he had been close enough to tell. There were screams. One sounded like T-Dog, and the other, Carol. Rick fumbled with the keys, trying to open the gate. Behind him, even Daryl sounded rattled, impatiently calling for Rick to hurry up.

When they made it to Hershel and Beth, Hershel told them that T-Dog had already been bitten, and that Maggie had led Carl and Lori away to safety. Glenn mentioned that the chains had been cut, and Rick immediately turned to look at the prisoners, who had followed them back inside. He felt anger beginning to bubble up, before it was stomped on by a loud, blaring alarm.

Rick threw his keys to Daryl, before going to work shooting out the intercom speakers. Afterwards, he turned his gun on Oscar, demanding to know how the alarm could still be blaring.

The man explained that it had to be the back-up generators, even if what he knew about the generators and alarms wasn’t much - but it was more than the rest of them knew, so Rick grabbed Oscar and dragged him with them to try and shut off the machines.

On their way, they glanced into C Block, but it was empty, which didn't make any sense. If that wasn't where Maggie had taken Carl and Lori,  _ then where were they?  _

When Rick and the others made it to the generator room, Rick immediately called for Daryl to hold the door - he was physically stronger than Rick, and by a long shot - motioning for Oscar to help, so that there was plenty to hold the doors…Before Oscar ran to help Rick with the generators, leaving Daryl alone at the door.

Rick got blindsided by Andrew. He thought he had heard him be torn apart by walkers…

After it was thrown from Rick’s hand, Oscar picked up the Python, and Rick could have sworn that he had heard his own pulse thundering in his ears. This had to be it. He had expected the prisoners to turn on them, but he hadn’t expected it to be with his own gun,, not in a handicapped fight where Rick’s only back up was the only thing holding walkers back from swarming the room.

Andrew shouted for Oscar to shoot Rick, insisting they could take back the prison. Rick saw Daryl approaching from behind Oscar with his knife drawn - Daryl was fast, but could he get to Oscar, before the bullet got to Rick? Rick wasn’t one to ask for miracles.

Then one happened. 

Oscar turned, shooting Andrew before flipping the gun and handing the Python back to Rick. Maybe he’d been wrong about Oscar and Axel. Maybe they weren’t simply murderers trying to take all that Rick’s group had.

Rick walked over and turned off the alarms, letting out a heavy sigh of relief in the silence, but they didn’t have time to rest. He spared a quick glance to make sure that Daryl wasn’t hurt, before starting to push back out into the prison.

In the catacombs, they found T-Dog. Or, at least, what was left of him. And Daryl… He found Carol’s scarf.

Rick wanted to comfort him, but there were no words to be said.  _ ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ _ was cheap, and to reach out to try to comfort Daryl would be met with immediate rejection. Instead, they collectively put their heads down and pushed back out into the courtyard, back to Hershel and Beth.

When Hershel asked about T-Dog and Carol, he was only met with a quiet  **‘they didn’t make it’** from Daryl.

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to push back a swelling migraine, fuelled by the collective stress. He needed to focus. They would need to go back inside. Turning, he instructed Daryl and Glenn to join him, but was interrupted by the sound of a baby crying.

A baby?  _ Lori’s baby. _

The whirlwind speed of the shit storm slowed suddenly, slowed to a pace similar to walking through waist deep mud, as Rick’s mind slowly pieced together all that had happened.

He looked at Maggie, holding a bundle wrapped in Carl’s vest, and Carl himself, head hung low, his spirits obviously crushed...

Rick couldn’t process it. His mind felt like it was shutting down.

In front of him, Maggie broke down in tears; her body shaking with each sob.

“ **Where is she?”**

He knew the answer. He knew. But right now... He felt beyond putting one thought together with another, so he asked again, and again - as if the answer would change just because he couldn't process the first one.

He had never forgiven her, and she had died believing that he hated her. He never told her part of him still loved her, and she died not knowing that. She died before he could apologize. For the fighting, both before and after the end of the world, for staying angry so long, for finding his mate and not wanting to fix their marriage… For not clinging on to that little sliver of him which had still held her so close to his heart.

She’d been his closest friend and wife for over a decade. Together they had raised Carl; thrown his birthday parties, helped him with homework. She had made those awful pancakes every week, just because she wanted them to be a family who ate pancakes on the weekend…

He had wanted to be a good husband, he always had. He had wanted to fix things, but he hadn’t known how. And now it was too late.

She died scared. Knowing that it was coming, watching it happen, making the choice for it to happen… Knowing her son had to watch as it happened...

She died not knowing that Rick was going to take care of the kids and protect them with every piece of his being.

Rick started walking back toward the cell block, not sure what he needed. Clarification? Was she really gone? He needed to know for real. Lori-

He made it as far as Carl, looking down at his son and feeling his chest ache viciously, as if his heart had been ripped out.

Rick sobbed, pacing a bit to try and hold it back a little, but it didn't help. He bent down with his hands on his knees, just repeating over and over: 

**“No, no, no.”**

He wanted to catch his breath. He wanted to pretend everything was alright. He wanted to calm down enough that he could comfort his son.

But he couldn’t. His legs gave out from under him and he rolled onto his side, keeping his back to his family as he cried.

_ He cried for his lost marriage. He cried for his guilt. He cried for his son, now without a mother. He cried for the baby who would never know either of their parents.He cried for T-Dog and Carol… _

_ Months of trying to hold on, to just keep moving. Everything poured out, crumbling into dirt. He had failed. Rick Grimes had failed. _

_ And he cried for that too. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family. 
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


	5. Episode Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A revelation about some of my specific omega dynamics in this chapter so look out for that!

Daryl stood back for several long minutes, letting Rick try to process what he was feeling. He felt like he was being dragged under rushing waves - like Rick’s pain at the other end of their bond was a thousand pound bolder, just dragging him downward.

Daryl tried to imagine digging his heels in and holding his ground, grabbing their bond with both hands and pulling with all his might. But it wouldn’t do any good. It couldn’t. Rick was sinking on the other end, hooked so deeply into his guilt that he couldn’t simply be pulled out. 

Daryl sighed, heavily, realizing that there was no way he could use their bond right now to reach Rick - Rick had to try and swim back to the surface. But trying was all Daryl had.

Daryl walked over to Rick and knelt down, getting pulling his alpha into a kneeling position. Rick’s sobs quieted to the occasional hiccupped breath…

**“Rick?”** Daryl called, softly, bringing one hand to Rick’s cheek and touching gently. **“Rick, you with me?”**

When there was no response, Daryl waved his other hand in front of Rick’s face, but Rick’s stare was completely vacant. His bright blue eyes were dark storm clouds, and he clearly wasn’t hearing what was going on around him - so much so that even his mate’s voice wasn’t reaching him.

As much as Daryl’s instincts wanted him to stay and protect Rick - to hold him, and keep him safe until he worked through his issues - Daryl had to focus on the group. Rick would want that. His attention was drawn to the crying baby, where Carl was bringing her to Hershel.

**“What are we gonna feed it? We got anything a baby can eat?”** Daryl asked, walking over to the rest of the gathered group. Babies were instinct - he could focus on that while his mind tried to linger on Rick.

**“The good news is, she seems healthy.”** Hershel said, his tone lightly relieved, before he turned to Daryl. **“But she needs formula. And soon, or she won’t survive.”**

Daryl shook his head furiously, pulling his bow over his head.  **“Nope. No way. Not her. We ain’t losing nobody else. I’m going for a run.”**

**“I’ll back you up.”** Maggie said, quickly, her previous sobs leaving her voice with a light tremble but all the confidence of her alpha self.

Glenn followed her lead:  **“I’ll go too.”**

Daryl wasn’t going to argue with the extra hands, and he didn’t imagine Glenn would let Maggie out of his eyesight for a while. If he were able, Daryl would do the same with Rick.

**“Think where we’re going. Beth.”** Daryl grabbed the younger omega by her wrist and gently pulled her back from the group, before nodding towards where Carl stood, whispering: **“Kid just lost his mom. His dad ain’t doing so hot…”**

**“I’ll look after him** .” Beth promised, looking at Daryl solemnly. He had no reason to doubt her.

Delegating, Daryl instructed Axel and Oscar to distract the walkers on the fence and called Maggie and Glenn to him. Maggie was shouting after Rick, who had grabbed his ax and was heading back into Cell Block C.

Daryl shook his head, trying to focus. He had to trust Rick could protect himself right now. His job was to protect the group.

**“Come on, we’re gonna lose the light!”** He yelled, jogging toward the vehicles.

It was decided to try for the shopping center, which could only be accessed on Daryl’s bike. While he checked his gauges and pulled on his poncho, to cover from the sharp wind and any flying debris, Maggie and Glenn decided who would go with him. How, he didn’t ask because he didn’t care. He was going no matter what, and when Maggie climbed onto the back of his bike, Daryl punched it. They only had a little time, and if Daryl didn’t hurry then there might not be any of Rick left to help when he got back.

* * *

The daycare they found was a baby gold mine. Maggie shoved her bag full of supplies while Daryl prowled through the building, the two walking wordlessly, neither needing to speak. Or maybe neither knew what to say. Maggie wasn’t the type to show her emotions on a run, or at least she tried not to be, and Daryl wasn’t the type to pry. If she decided to talk about what she had gone through earlier then he would listen. If not, he would gladly watch her back while she worked through it.

Their first words came after Daryl shot a possum which had been lurking in a cupboard.

**“Hello, dinner.”** Daryl said, glancing at her.

Maggiel rolled her eyes and shook her head, saying firmly: **“I’m not putting that in my bag.”**

Daryl shrugged, retrieving his arrow and shoving the possum into his own bag. A little meat could make everyone feel a little better, and he would make sure it was clean.

Behind him, Maggie had opened a cabinet and let out a breathless laugh: there were multiple cans of unopened baby formula, along with some pacifiers.

“Should be at least a week’s worth.” She guessed, as she zipped her bag closed.

“How much you think the kid’s gonna eat?” Daryl frowned. Maggie had grabbed at least four cans.

“Babies get hungry.” Maggie shrugged. “Daddy used to laugh about Beth drinking a can worth in a day. Whether it’s true or not, we should be ready.”

Daryl frowned, wrinkling his nose.. “Babies eat more outta bottles than tits?”

Maggie raised her eyebrows at him as she pulled on her bag. “What makes you say that?”

“Like two of them scoops go into a bottle, right?” Daryl pointed to her bag. “Bottle’s ‘bout half a water bottle. So it’s like… three whole water bottles for a can. Talkin’ about a newborn eating that much… Can’t tell me a pair of tits can handle that much and more in a day. Shit don’t make sense.”

Maggie opened and closed her mouth for a moment, before she finally said: “First off, that was insane math that actually made sense. Second, a mom’s body is supposed to adapt to what the baby needs. If they needed that much, the mom could make it.”

Daryl shrugged one shoulder. “Just seems like a lot.”

Maggie nodded. “It is, but name something a parent wouldn’t do for their kid.”

Daryl gave another shrug and started walking back to the front door.

“Don’t omegas have to take classes about this stuff?” Maggie asked. “I always thought it was like… added in there between science and math or something.”

Daryl grunted. “Might. I never went to any of ‘em.”

“They’re not mandatory?” She sounded surprised. “Jesus, between everything y’all go through, you’d think at least a basic course could be explained.”

“I ain’t saying the classes don’t happen.” Daryl said. “’m sayin’ I never went to one. My old man hated that I wa’nt an alpha like him and Merle. He tried to cover it up whenever he could.”

“Well, that was helpful.” Maggie said, sarcastically.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Daryl scoffed.

Maggie shook her head and sighed. “So you never got any of those breakdowns? The charts and explanations… all that?”

Daryl shook his head. “Learned as I went. Heat sucks like having the flu every couple months. After I got my implant, I could pass as a beta most of the time. Only Rick ever figured it out.”

“They probably have books still around.” Maggie said softly. “I’m already thinking about looking for a couple for Beth. Just… just in case, you know?”

“I ain’t plannin’ on kids.” Daryl shrugged. “Why should I worry about it?”

“Because pregnancy still happens even if you decide not to try? C’mon, Daryl. That’s common sense.”

“Fifteen percent chance every time I hook up with an alpha.” Daryl rolled his eyes. “During heat, it’s higher. Knots add to it. Mating bites add to it. I know the risks.”

“I don’t doubt you do.” She assured. “I’m just thinking… have you considered using birth control or suppressants?”

“Maggie,” Daryl sighed. “Look… I had a faulty implant for twelve years, alright? Shit’s supposed to lower fertility by like four percent every year you got it. And guys… guy omegas have lower numbers anyway. Even if I wanted to, I can’t. Physically, it ain’t possible.”

It hurt to admit it out loud hurt, especially after having told Rick just days ago that having kids was something they could talk about in the future.

Maggie went quiet behind him, and Daryl could feel the sympathetic look that women always got when discussing shit like this.

_ It’s not like he even wanted kids. _

He didn’t want to be swole up for nine months and having to count on everybody else. He didn’t want to go through surgery that he might not even survive, for a baby that would mean more danger added to their already chaotic lives. So he didn’t linger on it for too long.

_ Not on little babies toddling around with bouncy curls like Rick’s, or bright blue eyes… Not on the look of love and pride on Rick’s face every time he held their pup… Not on Carl teaching his little brother or sister to read or walk… No, no, he couldn’t think about any of that. At least, not that he admitted out loud. _

* * *

When they arrived back at the prison, Daryl made a beeline for the crying newborn. He didn’t have any experience with babies, hadn’t even held one before, but it was instinct to cradle her to his chest and make quiet little shushing sounds. He kept his arm tucked under her head, so that it wouldn’t fall back, and swayed a bit from foot to foot. She was starting to calm down even before Daryl was handed the bottle of formula.

**“Come on, come on…”** He whispered, encouragingly, watching the baby hopefully until she figured out sucking on the bottle and started to drink eagerly.

Daryl looked up at the group with a small proud smile on his face; for once, being an omega had come in handy. The group looked back at him with varying degrees of relief and fondness, if a little surprise. Maggie smiled at Daryl from where she stood by Glenn, a knowing look in her eyes. Their conversation from earlier springing to mind, Daryl ducked his head to avoid her gaze.

**“She got a name yet?”** He asked, in a whisper, looking at Carl.

Carl sighed, exhaustion evident on his face.  **“Not yet. But I was thinking… maybe Sophia? Then, there’s Carol too. Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or… Lori? I don’t know.”**

He shook his head, but Daryl understood. Carl was exhausted and freshly grieving, even though he was trying so hard to bury it and stay strong. Daryl looked back to the baby in his arms and felt his lips drawing back into a smile. 

**“Yeah… you like that? Huh? Little ass-kicker.”** He glanced around the room with a grin.  **“Right? That’s a good name, right?”**

It earned a couple of laughs and smiles, just as he had hoped for.

**“Lil Asskicker.”** Daryl cooed at the baby.  **“You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?”**

The baby’s eyes opened sleepily to look up at him for a moment, and Daryl felt his heart squeeze so hard that it was like he couldn’t breathe.

_ Shit. He was so, so screwed. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family. 
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


	6. Episode Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minor trigger warning for this chapter!!! 
> 
> While the small sex scene is not actually Dub-Con, it does come across that way and I want everyone to be aware of that before reading!

After visiting Carol’s empty grave just after sunrise, Daryl headed towards the tombs. He had already had a quiet morning to himself, sitting cross legged on the floor while he fed Lil Asskicker her breakfast. Every time she would open her eyes and look up at him, that same clench in his chest returned.

He wasn’t an idiot. He knew what it was: love. Honest to God, wholehearted, would do anything for her love. Hell, he may as well have popped the kid out himself, with the way she made him feel. It was just…  _ good. _

And Daryl meant to use that good, that warmth and that happiness he felt. He had to find Rick now. Rick was still down in the tombs, alone, and the occasional spike of pain radiating through their bond reminded Daryl of that, but he had no idea what to do.

When Daryl stepped into the boiler room, he saw Rick sitting on a stool and facing a table. He had his elbows on the table and his forehead leaned heavily on his fists.

“Could have picked somewhere else to hole up.” Daryl said, and walked slowly to Rick’s side. “Somewhere with a couch or something.”

Rick didn’t answer, didn’t even move.

“Everybody’s settled in upstairs.” Daryl said, softly. “Had some dinner and went right to bed. Was a long day for everybody… baby’s got a full belly and is laying with Beth. Kid’s a natural with her.”

Rick turned his head, slowly, and sat up a bit straighter to look at Daryl before saying: “You shouldn’t be down here… it’s not… not safe.”

“Ain’t safe for you either.” Daryl shrugged. “Little less not safe with us both, ain’t it?”

Rick sighed, lowering his head again. He was exhausted, Daryl could see it in his posture and in the way his shoulders hung, the bloodshot look to his eyes.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Daryl encouraged. “Get the blood washed off and get you some water… after a nap if you gotta come back down here, I won’t stop you.”

“No point.” Rick shook his head. “There’s… there’s no point. It always comes back.”

“The point is that if you’re clean, you can come here and let me give you a hug.” Daryl pointed out. “A couple kisses even… hell, whole world of opportunities.”

Rick looked at him in confusion before he blinked slowly. “That… that is a nice idea.”

Daryl nodded, giving him a faint smile and reaching out a gentle hand to take Rick’s. “Come on. Come with me.”

Rick started to reach out in return, before he dropped his hand back to his lap. “No. No, I need to stay here. You don’t… you don’t know yet.”

“Tell me then.” Daryl said. “I’m here, Rick.”

Rick shook his head and took several long, shaky breaths. “No, no, I can’t. I need… I need to be here.”

Daryl sighed and shifted his weight uncomfortably. He had to get Rick back, at least to semi-rationality. His kid needed him, the group needed him, and hell, Daryl needed him. Biting down on the growing embarrassment he felt, Daryl said quietly: 

“Rick… I need my alpha.”

Rick snapped to face him, his expression surprised before it changed slowly.. It wasn’t quite Rick - it looked more like an injured animal, ready to jump out of its skin - but maybe it was a start.

Daryl reached up, slowly, telegraphing every move carefully, so that Rick could pull away if he wanted to. But Rick just watched as Daryl untucked his bloody t-shirt, and moved to help when Daryl pulled it over his head. Daryl used the cleanest part that he could find to clean Rick’s face a little, to clear away some of the blood and make him look less like a wild man.

The moment Daryl lowered the shirt, Rick leaned forward to catch him in a kiss. It tasted like stale blood and dust, but beneath that was that feeling of home which came with kissing Rick. Daryl took a step forward, bringing his hand to the cleaner side of Rick’s face.

Rick seemed perfectly content being led, but after only a few minutes he changed his mind, and he was on his feet, turning them to press Daryl back against the table and pushing to deepen the kiss.

When Rick’s hands tugged at Daryl’s clothes, Daryl gently pushed Rick’s hands away and removed his own shirt, before allowing Rick to come back in close. Daryl’s jeans were shoved down to just above his knees and Rick spun him around so that he could bend over the workbench. The lack of prep or slick meant that Rick pushing into him was a sharp sting -manageable, but definitely uncomfortable. Daryl closed his eyes and focused on keeping himself relaxed.

He wasn’t sure that he could explain his rationale, even to himself, if he tried. Sex kept them close, and that physical closeness usually helped to bring them emotionally closer as well, so,sex was one way to bring Rick back to himself, right? It was the best option Daryl had and Rick seemed willing to use it.

It was not their usual comfortable rhythm. Hell, it wasn’t even close to the impatient speed and sting of when Daryl was in heat, and didn’t care about stretching or Rick’s usual sweet touches. After a few moments, Rick’s hands slowly moved to Daryl’s hips, before gently running up his sides and arms to intertwine their fingers on the table. Daryl started to relax as he listened to the soft panting in his ear.

“Daryl…” Rick moaned, quietly, lips pressing over Daryl’s neck and moving down to rest over his mating mark.

Daryl quickly shook his head. “Not this time, Rick.”

Rick grumbled in complaint but didn’t argue.  _ I guess even messed up like he is right now… he still cares _ , Daryl thought faintly.

As minutes passed, the heavy feeling on their bond began to lift. It was slow, like trying to break through the surface of rough water, fighting against the waves, but Darly could feel it, just on the other side: Rick was reaching out. He was trying to come back.

_ C’mon, Rick… _ Daryl pleaded, clenching his eyes shut. He wasn’t good at feelings, wasn’t comfortable with them, and definitely didn’t claim to understand his own, much less anyone else’s. He tried to silently express how much he had missed Rick, how afraid he had been for him. He wanted Rick to see the hope and happiness that was waiting for him.

But Daryl knew he was failing. Rick began to speed up and Daryl tried to cover the grimace on his face, thankful that Rick couldn’t see it. Rick’s knot was growing, tugging at Daryl’s rim and becoming more difficult to pull out.

“Daryl.” Rick whispered, his breath shaky. “God, darlin’…”

“I’m here.” Daryl murmured.

“I know.” Rick nodded, his arms wrapping around Daryl’s waist.

With Rick’s breath hot against his ear, trembling hands still settled on his hips, Daryl was ready to buckle at the knees. Rough sex wasn’t new to them, but the lack of prep and slick would make Daryl ache afterwards. He had never considered knotting painful. It was usually just a dull ache that added to the pleasure which came from riding out an orgasm, but that hadn’t been his intent here. The intent had been to surround Rick with the familiar, and hopefully to pull him out of his dizzy confusion.

Rick nuzzled the back of Daryl’s neck, murmuring happily under his breath - Daryl had managed to escape being bitten this time. He hadn’t wanted to risk infection from the blood that covered Rick’s mouth. He let his head fall forward to lean more of his weight on his arms, resting on the table beside a weird, old rotary phone.  _ Why the hell was that down here? _

Daryl sniffled hard and wiped his forehead on his arm. He hadn’t realized that his eyes had been watering - he would just blame it on sweat if Rick asked. But Rick didn’t. He seemed like he had dozed off, draped across Daryl’s back. If it hadn’t been for the occasional soft whisper, or light kiss, Daryl would have thought he had drifted off completely. Daryl closed his eyes, hoping to rest a little while he waited for Rick’s knot to fade.

What he did not expect was a gentle nudge at their bond, like being poked in the ribs. Daryl sighed, and reached back to catch Rick’s hand - a silent assurance that he was still there.

_ Thank you… _

Daryl’s eyes snapped open and he lifted his head, frowning. He had heard the words clear as day, but Rick hadn’t moved or spoken.

“Rick?” Daryl asked, aloud and confused.

_ Mm-hmm? _

“You’re… you ain’t talkin’ out loud.” Daryl said, quietly.

“Huh?” Rick lifted his head. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“You weren’t talkin’.” Daryl said. “You were, but you weren’t… it wa’nt out loud. Try it again.”

Rick seemed about to protest before he sighed, heavily, and went quiet for several long moments. “Did you hear anything?”

Daryl shook his head. How had they done it the first time? Rick hadn’t been speaking, but he had thanked Daryl.  _ Must be one of those weird bond things… _

“Yeah, definitely.” Rick agreed.

“Could be useful if we learn how to use it.” Daryl said

“We can practice.” Rick shrugged.

After a while, they separated and dressed in their jeans before walking to the shower block.

Daryl did a quick clean up, wanting to get back to the baby before she woke up. He snuck across the cell block to their private area and threw on his clothes and boots, before bringing Rick some clean clothes and setting them just outside the shower. Usually he would bring the bloody clothes to Carol, and suffer a little teasing before she assured him that they would be cleaned and ready when he needed them.  _ With her gone though…  _ Daryl tried to bury that heartache to deal with later.

When he came down the stairs from the security tower, Beth was filling a pot with water and starting to make breakfast.

“Is Rick going to be up for breakfast?” She asked, as she brought the pot over to the makeshift stove and started the fire.

“He should, yeah.” Daryl nodded, walking over to her. He felt sore, but he covered his slight limp as well as he could. If anyone asked, he would shrug it off as a twisted ankle..

“The baby is probably going to be ready for another bottle soon.” Beth said.

“I’ll get it ready for her.” Daryl nodded, crossing to the counter and prepping the bottle quietly.

“Daddy wants to start looking at the fields and planning out where to plant everything.” Beth continued. She wasn’t necessarily talking to him, she was just talking, and leaving room for it to become a conversation if Daryl wanted to answer.

“Gonna talk to Glenn and Maggie about going back to that daycare we found to grab one of the bed things.” He said. “Could be a busy day.”

“They’re making a run to the shopping center this afternoon, right?” She glanced over at him. “They could go toward the daycare afterwards.”

“They’d have to carry it a couple miles back to the car. Ain’t safe with just two folks.” Daryl shook his head.

“We’ll figure it out.” She smiled. “We’ve got time to plan it out.”

Daryl nodded, tightening the lid on the baby bottle. “Gonna get this to little ass-kicker before she starts giving her lungs a workout.”

Beth nodded. “See you for breakfast.”

* * *

Rick dressed slowly after his shower, feeling like he was moving in slow motion. He vaguely remembered talking to Daryl, then walking to the shower block, Daryl leaving as Rick showered. Daryl must have brought him the clothes which were waiting for him.

Rick needed to get back down to the boiler room. If those people on the phone were really as safe as the girl promised, then he needed his family to be there. He needed Daryl and Carl safe. And… and Lori’s baby. His baby now. It needed to be safe too.

...He had never asked if it was a boy or girl.

When Rick entered the room where the group were eating, everyone looked toward him in surprise. Maybe Daryl hadn’t mentioned that he had come to find him. Rick’s eyes moved over the group slowly, landing on Glenn for a moment. A vague flash of a memory crossed his mind, of Glenn down in the boiler room, but it was gone just as quickly as it had come.

Rick told Hershel about clearing out the boiler block, walking over and putting his hand on Carl’s shoulder.

**“How many were there?”** Daryl asked. He was sitting on the steps which led out of the cell block.

**“I don’t know.”** Rick shrugged.  **“A dozen, two dozen.”**

He looked down to avoid the sharp, unhappy glare on Daryl’s face. So Daryl had come to find him, but not down the same path or else he would have seen the bodies. Or maybe he had seen them, maybe there had been more than Rick had realized. It all blurred together a little.

“ **I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl** .”

**“Rick, we can handle the bodies.”** Glenn piped up.  **“You don’t have to.”**

**“No, I have to.”** Rick said. 

He didn’t know how to cover the strange phone call, or how to address it without raising anyone’s hopes. He did not want them to know yet. What if he couldn’t get them to that safe place?

He walked over to where Daryl was sitting, needing to set up some safety for the group while he worked on finding them somewhere to go.

**“Does everyone have a gun and a knife?”** Rick asked.

Daryl shrugged.  **“Yeah, we’re running low on ammo, though.”**

He was so unfazed, like he always was. He had mentioned, a handful of times and jokingly, being the only zen person left in the world, and Rick had never realized how true that was. He would have to tell Daryl how much he appreciated it, once things settled down.

**“Maggie and me were planning on making a run this afternoon.”** Glenn said behind Rick as he slowly approached. 

He walked as if he was approaching a scared animal, staying out of arm’s reach. Had Rick done more than threaten him down in the tombs? Rick added that to his list of things to figure out once he had finished with what he was currently working on. Glenn interrupted his inner thoughts when he added:

**“Found a phone book with some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula.”**

**“We cleared out the generator room.”** Daryl said, leaning forward to keep himself in Rick’s peripheral.

Rick turned to face him, letting his attention settle on his mate for now.

**“Axel’s there trying to fix it… in case of emergency.”** Daryl added.  **“We’re gonna sweep the lower levels as well.”**

“Good. Good.” Rick nodded.

It was good to know that his group were in good hands, and Daryl’s were the safest for them to be in. Always so calm and patient, God, he was a light, and everything around them was so dark right now…

Rick took a deep breath and hurried back toward the boiler room. He couldn’t afford to miss it if the girl called back. He needed to be there waiting. He heard Hershel call his name, but Rick was already down the hall.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Hershel went down to the boiler room to check on Rick.

He could see that Rick was tired, delirious even. He mentioned the phone ringing, but when Hershel lifted the phone to his ear, there was nothing. He didn’t comment on it. He had mourned the death of two wives now, and he understood that sometimes the mind did strange things in order to make that grief manageable. Hershel himself, having kept a barn full of walkers, had been proof enough of that.

So instead, he offered what he could.  _ Company. _

Rick didn’t want to accept it - Maybe a part of him knew that the phone wouldn’t ring if someone else was there. Hershel stood, balanced on his crutches and beginning to leave the room before one thing stopped him.

“Noticed Daryl moving a little tender this morning.” He said. “After he came to get you… is everything alright? You two are doing well?”

He had noticed the items scattered and pushed aside from the table, even a few stains on the floor, and he reckoned only a blind man would be unable to piece together how Daryl had managed to get Rick to come back to the cell block this morning.

“Yeah,” Rick said, softly, nodding his head. “He’s, he’s good. We’re, uh, we’re good.”

“Alright. I just want to remind you… we need you both. As close to one hundred percent as possible.”

“I know.” Rick assured him. “We will be.”

Hershel nodded in return. “Alright, well, I won’t pry too much farther. I’ll only ask that you remember something…”

Rick looked at the older alpha, confusion in his face. “And what’s that?”

“Your mate is a life line… a support through everything life throws.” Hershel said, delicately. “And yours is something extraordinary. Daryl is willing to go through a lot to protect you… but his health and safety cannot be the price paid for your sanity. It isn’t fair, and I know you know that, Rick. You’re a decent man. I trust that you’ll keep that in mind.”

With that, Hershel took his leave. He didn’t want to push Rick, but a line had to be drawn. 

It wasn’t hard to guess what kind of life Daryl had led before Rick. Hell, Hershel had patched the boy up, he had seen the ugly scars that covered his back. Somebody who was used to receiving pain from a trusted person - a parent, a lover - it was all too easy to fall back into a pattern like that, and Hershel had the responsibility as an alpha, even if he wasn’t the pack alpha, not to allow that to happen. He had best be keeping a close eye on the pair for now, because something told him that Daryl wouldn’t be all that concerned with his own safety when it came to Rick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
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> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!


	7. Episode Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last of today's spam upload, guys! Remember to subscribe or come join me on discord for updates on when the fic will be coming out!

Daryl was sitting beside Carol’s exhausted form, petting her hair. He was still amazed that he had found her, and even more so when he had found her alive. He had been so prepared to see her as a walker when he pushed open that door, down in solitary. Instead, she had opened her eyes and given him a small smile, and he had scooped her up and carried her back to the cell block, clearing the distance faster than he ever had before. 

He couldn’t put into words how badly he had grieved in her absence. He wasn’t sure how he had ended up thinking of her as a sister, but he had. It had probably happened back on the farm -a lifetime ago. But none of that really mattered now. He was just happy that she was back, and safe, and that she would be able to meet the baby. Now, she would be with him to do all the normal Carol things that she did: laundry, managing meals, kissing his forehead, and calling him ‘pookie’.

It was so stupid - a name to give to a kid or a pet - But somehow it felt just as important as when Rick called him ‘darling’. ...Both meant he belonged, that they were his family. Hell, he had a whole family. A mate, a sister, a baby... Even Carl, Daryl thought of as his own. They all had their role, some not so close to Darly’s, but they still mattered.

The loud clatter of the cell block door startled Daryl out of his thoughts, and he shot immediately to his feet with his crossbow in hand.

He lowered it again and hurried towards the doors at the end of the cell block when he heard aRick’s voice give a muffled shout. All he could think was that Rick would be so relieved to see Carol, alive - he still couldn’t believe it himself. He had been so sure that she had perished...  _ had become a walker. _

However, when he entered the room his hand flew to the pistol holster on his hip. He hated the clunky weapon, but it was useful for moments like this - when his bow was out of reach.

On the ground was a black woman, tense, and with eyes that darted between Rick and Daryl, as if she were a wounded animal.

“ **Rick- who the hell is this?”**

**“You wanna tell us your name?”** Rick asked calmly, turning his head back toward her. She stayed tense, shifting slowly and saying nothing.

**“You want to tell us your name.”** Rick said, his voice almost a whisper.

**“Y’all come on in here.”** Daryl said instead, interrupting the stand off between the two of them.

Rick stood, slowly turning to face Daryl.

**“Everything alright?”** He asked, as he walked towards him.

Daryl shook his head, before nodding back towards where he had come.

**“You’re gonna want to see this.”** He said, as he led them towards Carol’s cell. He paused before they reached it, listening to Rick speak to the woman again. She had curled her fingers into the chain link behind her, braced for an attack.

**“I didn’t ask for your help.”** She said, finally.

**“Doesn’t matter.”** Rick shrugged, turning on his heel and following Daryl into the cell block.  **“Can’t let you leave.”**

Daryl waited until Rick had locked the door before leading him back to where he had left Carol. Rick took a few long strides so that they were side by side and put his hand on Daryl’s side. Daryl noticed how hurt Rick looked when he flinched and felt guilty. They needed to have a conversation, but later, as Rick’s attention had caught on Carol, who was sitting up, her dirty face wearing a small smile. Emotions cycled across Rick’s face before he pulled her into an embrace.

**“Oh God.”** Rick whispered. **“Thank God. Thank God.”**

Daryl couldn’t help but smile as pride filled his chest.. He had known that Carol’s return would have a positive effect on the group, and seeing Rick be so  _ himself _ was more than welcome.

When Rick stepped back to allow Hershel to hug Carol, the old man asked only one word:  **“How?”**

**“Solitary.”** Carol gave a small laugh. She was still tired and weak, but she was there.

**“Poor thing fought her way into the cell. Must’ve passed out.”** Daryl explained.  **“Dehydration.”**

Carol’s smile turned to shock when Beth stepped around Daryl holding the baby. Daryl crossed his arms over his chest to avoid reaching out to take the baby from her. His brain had half decided that the baby was his, making it difficult not to feel protective - especially when Carol turned to Rick in that way that women did around babies, cooing over how beautiful the baby was.

And before Daryl had realised it, Rick had...  _ changed _ again. His expression fell, eyes dropping to the floor, as Carol hugged him, before she paused and her breath caught in her throat. She started to cry and whispered how sorry she was. 

Daryl fought the impulse to scoff at himself under his breath when Rick covered his face, before lowering his hands again and revealing watery eyes. It had been too good to be true. Rick wasn’t back to himself, and was still mourning Lori. It was never so easy.

Instead, Daryl sucked his teeth and turned away, walking away from the happy reunion. He hated the jealousy he felt towards Rick’s grief.

_ Rick was heartbroken over Lori. Lori who had slept with his best friend. Lori who had caused Shane’s death. Lori who had been a bitch through to her last day... _

Daryl had been the one who busted his ass the last few days, trying to be the supportive mate and take care of the group, whilst Rick did whatever the hell he needed to do down in the tombs and processed whatever he needed to process. 

He had tried so hard to be an equal. To never be the weak, needy omega, but he needed… something. The last time his mate had touched him, apart from patting him on the back, had been in the boiler room, and Daryl was still sore from it. It was as if Rick’s grief depression had sapped his own energy, without replacing it. There were no forehead kisses, no quick squeezes, or quiet whispers.

Being lonely was not something Daryl had ever resented. The feeling was new. The bitter taste of bile, the physical ache in his chest, the emotional exhaustion - knowing that someone else, someone dead, was taking Rick so far from him..

Daryl stopped abruptly. He was jealous. Fucking  _ jealous.  _

And he hated it.

* * *

Daryl grabbed his crossbow and followed Rick and Hershel back to the entryway. Rick approached Michonne with Daryl at his left and Hershel hobbling along behind them.

**“We can tend to that wound for you, give you a little food and water, and then send you on your way. But you’re gonna have to tell us how you found us. And why you were carrying formula.”** Rick said, stopping a foot away from Michonne. 

Now that Daryl had a clear view of her, it was obvious that she was another alpha. How many of them were there around now? Damn. Her eyes were calculating, moving slowly between Daryl and Rick. She was planning her next move, and Daryl’s hands tightened reflexively on his bow..

But, instead of lunging, she said:  **“The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with a pretty girl.”**

**“What happened?”** Rick frowned, and his eyes narrowed.

**“Were they attacked?”** Hershel asked, hesitantly - it was his daughter they were talking about.

**“They were taken.”** Her answer was curt.

**“Taken? By who?”** Rick asked, growing impatient.

**“By the same son of a bitch who shot me.”** She answered. 

It was unnerving. Her voice never changed -always the same quiet, cool tone.

**“Hey, these are our people.” Rick lowered himself to be at eye level with her. “You tell us where they are** **_now_ ** **.”** The last word was nearly a snarl as Rick reached forward, lightning fast, and dug his thumb into her gunshot wound.

Michonne jumped back, snapping:  **“Don’t you ever touch me again!”**

Daryl lifted his crossbow and moved to Rick’s side with it raised.  **“You better start talking. You’re gonna have a lot bigger problem than a gunshot wound.”**

Michonne’s surprised expression twisted into a snarl. “ **Find them yourself.”**

Rick slowly stepped forward again, putting his hand on Daryl’s crossbow and hushing him quietly - an assurance that Rick had it handled.

**“Put it down.”** He said softly, not looking at Daryl but trusting him to listen. 

Daryl reluctantly lowered the bow but kept his hand on the trigger, ready to raise it at a second’s notice.

Rick stood between Daryl and the pissed off alpha woman. Even with a damaged leg, she was braced and ready to lunge, her hackles raised at the very notion of Daryl being the one to threaten her.

**“You came here for a reason.”** Rick spoke quietly, dropping the demanding edge and drawing on his former self, playing the quiet negotiator. 

Michonne lowered her gaze as she considered her options, before sighing and saying: “ **There’s a town. Woodbury. About seventy-five survivors. I think they were taken there.”**

**“A whole town?”** Rick frowned in disbelief.

**“It’s run by this guy who calls himself ‘the Governor’. Pretty boy, charming. Jim Jones type.”** She continued.

**“He got muscle?”** Daryl asked. They needed to know what they would be up against.

She shrugged.  **“Paramilitary wannabes. They have armed sentries on every wall.”**

**“You know a way in?”** Rick asked, shifting to cross his arms over his chest.

**“The place is secure from walkers.”** She answered.  **“But… we could slip our way through.”**

The tension between the two alphas was fading, the two seeming to slowly relax as they found themselves on the same page.

**“How’d you know how to get here?”** Rick asked, glancing back at Daryl.

**“They mentioned a prison.”** She shrugged.  **“said what direction it was in and that it was a straight shot.”**

There were a few moments of silence.

**“This is Hershel, the father of the girl who was taken.”** Rick said, before he gestured at Michonne’s leg. **He’ll take care of that.”**

He turned to Daryl and nodded his head, indicating for the other to follow him. They walked up the small set of stairs to their tower room.

“You trust her?” Daryl asked, pulling the crossbow over his shoulder.

“I don’t know.” Rick admitted. “But we can’t risk leaving Glenn and Maggie if even half of what she said is true.”

“Seventy-five against me, you, ol’ girl… might be able to get Oscar or Axel. Carol is still too weak to come with us.” Daryl sighed, heavily. “No way of knowing how many of those folks are packing.”

“I know.” Rick said, softly. “It’s… it’s just bad all around.” He glanced over, hesitated, and asked: “You, uh, sure you’re up for a fight like this?”

Confused, Daryl scowled. “Hell you mean? ‘Course I am. C’mon, let’s get ready.”

* * *

After a quick group discussion, where they decided on who would make up the rescue party, Daryl packed up a large bag with the remaining grenades and tear gas that they had scavenged from the prison armoury. They had no way of knowing what they were going up against, so it was best to be prepared.

Daryl pulled on his vest before helping Carl lift a toolbox into the back of the car.

**“Hey, don’t you worry about your old man. I’m gonna keep my eye on him.”**

“You think he’s gonna get all messed up again?” Carl asked, quietly, looking up at Daryl.

“I hope not.” Daryl said. “I’m gonna try real hard to keep him from getting messed up again.”

“Thanks.” 

Carl nodded and Daryl patted him on the shoulder. They hurried back inside to grab the last of the rescue team’s gear, and came out behind Rick,who pulled Carl aside while Daryl stood next to Carol.

**“Stay safe.”** Daryl said, kissing her forehead before doing the same to little Ass-Kicker.

**“Nine lives, remember?”** Carol smiled reassuringly.

* * *

The car was eerily still as they drove. It set Rick’s nerves on edge, this unspoken strain between him and Daryl.He didn’t know entirely what had happened while he was… lost in his own head, but he had felt a lot better since “speaking to” Lori.

_ “You have Carl… a baby… you’ve got Daryl… you can’t fall apart, baby. They need you. They need you to keep them safe… You gotta let go of the hurt, Rick…” _

The words had somehow broken through his mental fog, and Rick had been startled back into consciousness. He still felt a bit sluggish, as if he could snap back like a rubber band at any moment, but he hoped that he was strong enough to hold on. Being close to Daryl made it easier, although the way he had flinched at Rick’s touch only hours ago still sat anxious in Rick’s stomach.

“Carl told me about what you were calling the baby.” Rick said aloud, to quiet those inner thoughts of Daryl’s distance.

“Little Ass-Kicker?” Daryl chuckled. “Yeah. Sounded good, huh?”

Rick smiled. “It fits her. Gives her something to grow into. I let Carl pick her real name though… if you wanna know it.”

“Yeah, tell me.” Daryl nodded.

“Judith.” Rick said, “Said it was after his 3 rd grade teacher. It’s nice, isn’t it?”

Daryl shrugged. “Yeah, it’s good. Not something with bad memories.”

Rick couldn’t help but agree. The idea of the baby being named after Lori or Sophia or Andrea, it made him feel physically ill. The baby deserved a fresh start.

“You spending some good time with her?” Rick asked.

Daryl nodded. “Yeah, spend a lotta time with her. She’s… happy.”

* * *

Once they were on foot, Rick hung back with Daryl, letting Michonne and Oscar walk ahead a step..

**“I know what you did for me** .” Rick said, quietly.  **“for my baby, while I was… working things out. Thank you.”**

**“It’s what we do.”** Daryl shrugged.

“Did I hurt you?” Rick asked, finally voicing the concern he had been nursing.

“You really want that answer right now?” Daryl countered, glancing over at him. 

Rick winced. “Darlin’, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to-”

“Rick.” Daryl interrupted, his head snapping up, zeroing in on whatever had startled him.

“Down.” Rick instructed the small group, crouching low. The one walker that Rick had noticed quickly turned into too many.

“Get into formation. No gunfire.” He ordered, pulling his machete and moving toward the nearest walker. 

Rick kept the group close together, until they made it to an old red cabin. He had no idea how they were going to get out and away, but one quick glance over to meet Daryl’s eyes helped him ground himself.

They had this.


	8. Episode Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit hits the fan in Woodbury.

Rick really should have known that when things felt as if things were going smoothly, it meant that shit was about to hit the fan. Fast. Getting to Woodbury? Easy. Getting past the guards? They had found a hole to slip through into the town. Finding Glenn and Maggie? That had been the first bump in the road. 

There had been too many buildings in Woodbury to conduct a one by one search, especially with so many guards around. Michonne had led them to a pantry building, which had tables out in front like a cafe. Which, in this town? Hell, it probably was.

**“Anywhere else they could be?”** Daryl said, as he peeked around the curtain to scan the street.

Rick moved over to Daryl’s side, glancing out the window as well.

**“Thought you said there was a curfew.”** Daryl said, and scowled, glaring at Michonne. He had been paranoid since the minute they had left the prison, although he had kept it under control so far.

**“The streets are packed during the day**. **”** Michonne said, voice low but tone stern. **“Those are stragglers.”**

**“If anyone comes in here, we’re sitting ducks.”** Rick insisted, drawing everyone’s attention. **“We gotta move.”**

**“They could be in his apartment.”** Michonne said, although she sounded as confident as the rest of them felt.

**“Yeah?”** Daryl challenged,his eyes narrowed as he began to pace - his usual nervous habit **. “And what if they ain’t?”**

**“Then we’ll look somewhere else.”** Michonne said simply, annoyed by the prodding. 

Rick wanted to tell Daryl to back off, but he couldn’t dismiss Daryl’s concerns - the whole situation felt more like a trap with every passing moment..

**“You said you could help us.”** Rick said, and he sighed in frustration.

**“I’m doing what I can.”** Michonne snapped.

It was almost amusing the way she changed her tone: Rick, she would glare and snap at, whilst Daryl she scolded like a child.

**“Then where the hell are they?”** Oscar asked, patient despite the frustration evident in his words.

**“Hey.”** Rick interrupted, and gestured for Daryl and Oscar to lean in close before lowering his voice: **“If this goes south, we’re cutting her loose.”**

Oscar scowled, and asked the most natural next question **: “You think she’s leading us into a trap?”**

**“Right now it’s the blind leading the blind**.” Daryl groused. **“Let’s split up.”**

Suddenly the locked door rattled, and they all moved for cover. They grabbed the man who came in and Rick tried to question him, but it wasn’t much help. The man had no idea where their people were, so they were quick to zip tie him and knock him out.

Despite their misgivings, they managed to find the building where Glenn and Maggie were being held with just a little searching. It felt more like a warehouse than the friendly neighborhood, which the rest of the town had felt like. Two flash bangs, a smoke bomb, and a few gun shots later, they found their way into an empty building before Glenn finally collapsed to the ground, in pain and exhausted.

**“Ain’t no way out back here.”** Daryl growled in frustration, as he checked every nook and cranny for an exit.

**“Rick, how did you find us?”** Maggie asked, checking over her injured mate in concern. 

Glenn had definitely taken the brunt of the punishment administered to them from the Woodbury folk - anyone smart would have first taken the alpha out of the equation, leaving Glenn as the easiest target.

**“How bad are you hurt?”** Rick said, as he hurried past Glenn, checking the other side of the room for any other ways out. There really was only one entry and exit.

**“I’ll be alright.”** Glenn insisted. 

The look Maggie’s sent at Rick disagreed. Glenn was in bad shape, there was no way that he would be able to fight his way out of there, he would need help.

**“Where’s that woman?”** Maggie asked, as she quickly looked around, trying to count how many fighters they had right now.

_Shit. Michonne was gone…_

**“She was right behind us.”**

Rick bit the inside of his cheek roughly as he tried to think. Shit. He hadn’t expected such a large firefight. He had, wrongly, assumed that an established town would be a home to soft people, not people armed and ready to fight.

**“Maybe she was spotted.”** Oscar said.

**“Want me to go look for her?”**

Before the words had even finished leaving Daryl’s lips, Rick interrupted him:  **“No,”** He shook his head firmly, and crouched beside Glenn, instinctively checking him for wounds that Rick could help Maggie dress. **“We gotta get them out of here. She’s on her own.”**

**“Daryl.”** Glenn said, his voice tense as he struggled to speak in anything above a hoarse whisper: **“This was Merle.”**

Daryl’s head snapped toward Glenn at the mention of his brother, his face full of confusion, as if he had never expected to hear Merle’s name again.

**“It was.”** Glenn insisted, grimacing in pain as Maggie helped him into a shirt.  **“He did this.”**

**“You saw him?”** Rick demanded, although he sorely hoped that Glenn would miraculously realise that he had been mistaken,that he had just heard a voice or seen someone that seemed familiar. But Glenn only confirmed the second bump in the road:

**“Face to face. He threw a walker at me. Was gonna execute us.”**

If Glenn’s voice had caught, it was a minor thing, nothing compared to the confused, meek sound of Daryl asking: 

**“S-so my brother’s this governor?”**

Rick had never seen Daryl look so  _ small _ . He seemed so young as he asked the question.

**“No. It’s somebody else. Your brother is his lieutenant or something.”** Maggie said, her focus remaining on wrapping Glenn’s wounds with whatever clean material she could find. He would need real bandages soon.

**“Does he know I’m still with you?”** Daryl demanded, bouncing on his heels.

**“He does now.”** Glenn turned to Rick.  **“Rick, I’m sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn’t hold out.”**

Rick shook his head and put his hand on Glenn’s shoulder.  **“Don’t. No need to apologize.”**

Then he stood and moved across the room to look out of the curtained window.

**“They’re gonna be looking for us.”** Maggie said anxiously, keeping her hand on Glenn’s shoulder when she stood.

**“We have to get back. Can you walk?”** Rick asked, to which Glenn answered with a nod and Rick helped him stand.

The statue that had been Daryl finally moved, and tried to grab Rick by the shoulder. 

**“Hey, if Merle is around, I need to see him.”**

Rick ducked in order to avoid Daryl’s hand as he hissed:  **“Not now. We’re in hostile territory.”**

**“He’s my brother.”** Daryl insisted, his blue eyes filled with something that Rick had never seen - even their bond was alive with something that didn’t belong there. 

Fear, panic, worry… and it felt so bitter, coming from Daryl. Daryl, who was the self-proclaimed ‘zen master’ of the group; Daryl, who would roll his eyes if any one of the group suggested something dangerous; Daryl, who bowed up in defense of their group daily. 

But what Rick saw in that moment wasn’t that Daryl, but rather Daryl as a kid. The Daryl who had followed Merle through life like a puppy, and who  _ still  _ didn’t realize that he didn’t need Merle to think for him.

**“Look at what he did.”** Rick said, and took hold of Daryl’s shoulder to shake him.  **“Look, we gotta- we gotta get out of here now.”**

**“Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out.”** Daryl pleaded. __

_Pleaded…_ Rick realized suddenly that Daryl wanted, or maybe needed, Rick’s permission to alter their plan.

**“No, no, no.”** Rick shook his head, pulling Daryl close with a hand on his cheek and angling them away from the rest of the group before he said urgently:  **“You’re not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they’re hurt. Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers or if this governor catches up to us? I need you.”** Rick pressed his forehead to Daryl’s and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Please, darlin’,  _ please help me _ . I need you. I can’t do this without you.”

After a moment, Daryl pulled back so that they were no longer touching and nodded.

**“Are you with me?”** Rick asked, looking Daryl directly in the eye.

**“Yeah.”** Daryl nodded again, and raised his bow.

And despite the fact that Rick knew Daryl was the kind of man who would live, and die, by his word, it didn’t stop the nagging fear that was curling in his mind. The fear that Daryl would let him down…

Time seemed to blur. The desperate fight to the bus all seemed to last seconds and an eternity at the same time. For a moment Rick felt his chest clench tightly as he spotted Shane. No, no -  _ Shane is dead _ \- it wasn’t real, but it didn’t stop Rick from checking the body. Maybe he wasn’t as clear headed as he had thought.

Oscar was dead, but they had made it. Except for-

**_“Daryl!”_ **

The name ripped through Rick like a forest fire. He looked frantically back and forth, trying to spot his mate in the street, but the smoke was too thick.

“He made it out.” Rick said to himself. “He’ll meet us there. He’s okay.”

God, he didn’t believe himself. He was a damned dirty liar.

Michonne made it to them and, despite Rick’s gun being held to her head, she still asked about their people. It almost earned her some credit. But then Maggie asked about Daryl.

**“If anything happens to him...”** Rick growled.

**“I brought you here to save them.”** Michonne interrupted, using the same quiet voice she had used before.

**“Thanks for the help.”** Rick said, eventually, reluctantly. She had helped them get to Maggie and Glenn, despite having bailed for a majority of the fire fight.

**“You’ll need help to get them back to the prison.”** Michonne said, fidgeting.  **“Or to go back in there for Daryl. Either way, you need me.”**

Rick gritted his teeth in frustration - she was right. It was only him and Maggie right now, Glenn couldn’t fight, Oscar was dead, and Daryl was missing.

“Damn it.” He cursed, running his hands through his hair.

“I want to help save your mate.” Michonne said, softly, looking him in the eye. She rolled her eyes at Rick’s look of confusion. “Yeah, I could tell. And they’ll be able to tell too. The Governor is a bad man, Rick, and you do not want his hands on your boy.”

Rick let out a loud groan and gave a quick jerk of his head. 

“Damn it. Come on!”

* * *

Daryl had to clench his eyes tight shut when the sack came off his head -the lights were bright like a damned football field - and the bastard in charge kept talking, but the sound faded to the background when Daryl opened his eyes and noticed the man beside him.

_ Merle. _

He was alive. He was here, and real, and… mostly in one piece. But Daryl saw the look in his brother’s eye and it wasn’t relief or concern -it was the look of a man quickly running through his options, fight or flight in its truest form… 

And Daryl was not a part of his plan.

_ Shit _ .


	9. Episode Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new POV, some angst, must be episode 9!

Merle Dixon was not a good man, he never had been. Before the world had ended he hadn’t gone to church, or given to charity, Hell, he had been, and still was, a dishonorable discharge with nearly five years racked up in the pen.

All Merle’s life he had done whatever it took to survive, including leaving home at sixteen to get away from his father, hooking up with drug runners, and later on, a biker gang. Even before the world ended, he had known what it was to end a man’s life, and once again, his only chance for survival was killing another.

His baby brother... Who he had been searching _over a damned year for_.

The governor prattled on, egging on the crowd until they had begun to chant for the brothers’ death, but Merle couldn’t look away from Daryl.

He looked healthy, no worse for wear from the rough treatment of being captured and delivered, but he looked terrified.. Ignoring the bellowing of the crowd, Merle had quickly taken in the panic in Daryl’s face; his quickened breathing, his eyes flitting wildly across the crowd, trying to find an escape..Because, of course, Daryl would not consider killing Merle, not even to save his own life.

_Damn it, little brother. Have some fucking survival instincts!_

Out of the corner of his eye, Merle spotted a wound on his brother that he hadn’t seen before, and it made his stomach drop. High up on Daryl’s neck, right in the muscle right behind his ear, were a clear set of teeth marks. Biters didn’t bite that clean, and besides, you would never live long enough for a bite to to scab over like this was clearly starting to.

Boy had gone and gotten himself fucking _knotted_. _Fuck_ , his brother had an ass kicking coming his way - Merle had warned Daryl his whole life not to get mixed in with being some alpha’s bitch! 

Merle took a deep breath, realizing how all that was possible. Like the smell of apple pie coming from the figure beside him. An omega. 

Hell, it was probably that knot head Shane - He always had looked at Daryl funny.

_Fucking shit._ Daryl was supposed to be covered. Hell, his implant had worked for years. Had it finally given out on him? Had he had any choice in getting claimed?. 

There were too many maybes to blame his brother, and Merle had to get them out of here. He turned to look at his brother, jaw firmly set, and watched as Daryl’s face fell. He didn’t understand, and Merle didn’t have time to explain.

**“Y’all know me.”** Merle shouted, to which the crowd cheered. 

Good to know he still had some friends, even ones taken in by his showboating as he gave Daryl a chance to… brace himself? Learn some damn telepathy? Hell, even sucker punch his older brother - which was what Merle would have done.

**“I’m gonna do whatever I gotta do, to prove-”** He continued, punctuating his speech by punching Daryl in the gut. He chose to use his actual hand, and Daryl crumpled, curling up protectively on his side to try and catch his breath,  **“That my loyalty-”** Daryl rolled with the force Merle’s kick,  **“Is to this town!”**

Merle kicked again, and again, and again, as Daryl wheezed for air. The crowd roared their support, and Merle saw Daryl’s face begin to change, but it wasn’t until Daryl had thrown a punch of his own that Merle remembered that, _shit. He had a plan here!_

Somebody who hadn’t wrestled with Daryl before probably wouldn’t have anticipated being tackled from behind, but Merle had taught the kid himself, and he used Daryl’s own weight to pull Daryl over his shoulder and plant him on his back in the dirt. Daryl’s eyes were clear of terror now, and focused. Whatever fear he had felt had fled in the face of his little brother being _seriously pissed off._

**“You really think this asshole’s gonna let you go?”** Daryl hissed through gritted teeth, his fingers digging hard into Merle’s throat.

**“Just follow my lead, little brother.”** Merle managed to spit back, curling his fingers in the front of Daryl’s shirt, and without the shadow of a doubt that his brother would obey him. **“We’re getting outta this. Right now!”**

Merle pulled Daryl to his feet and shoved him into place, so they were back to back. Fighting bare handed against Biters wasn’t ideal, but there was nobody that Merle would rather have at his back than his baby brother.

But then the first shot rang out, and all hell broke loose.

* * *

“Said I was alright.” Daryl said.

Daryl and Rick were several feet away, and despite the fact that he had to strain a little, Merle could hear the two speaking in hushed whispers.

“I’m supposed to believe that over the wheezing?” Rick scoffed. “Christ, darlin’, I’m not stupid. He kicked the shit out of you.”

“He had a plan.” 

“No plan should involve risking you.” Rick said, sharply. “He went after your ribs and stomach. What if you’d been-”

“Ain’t fucking pregnant, Rick.” Daryl said, clearly irritated..

“How would he have known that? If he ‘had a plan’ then why the hell did he target the one place that could keep you down?”

“He probably doesn’t even know I don’t have that implant anymore.” 

“Daryl, you aren’t seeing the point here.” Rick sighed heavily. “Did he even consider what shape you would be in? What if you hadn’t been able to get out of there on your own feet?”

“But I could. You can what-if it to death Rick, but fact is: Merle helped us get outta there.” Daryl said, quietly, and his voice softened a little. “Coulda died if he hadn’t.”

Rick hesitated long enough that Merle turned to look back, just in time to see when Officer Friendly pulled Daryl into an embrace and kissed his temple. Merle wanted to shout at Rick, to protect his brother, but he reasoned that, Hell, at least Rick was a better option than Shane. Rick wore his heart on his sleeve, and it was easy to see that he was wrapped tightly around Daryl’s little finger. _Man was whipped._

By sunrise they finally reached the car, and, soon enough, guns and sword were drawn, followed by plenty of shouting. And then there was Daryl:

**“He helped us get outta there.”**

**“Yeah, right after he beat the shit out of you.”** Rick said as he glanced back over his shoulder.

**“Hey, we both took our licks, man.”** Merle argued, (Daryl had totalled one punch but details weren’t important).

**“Jackass.”** Daryl muttered, glaring at Merle.

**“Shut up.”** Merle shot back, which earned him a look so fierce from Rick that he almost took a step back - an alpha displeased by his mate being disrespected.

_Officer Friendly’s got a knot after all..._

When the shouting began again, Daryl finally raised his voice..

**“Get that thing outta my face!”** He snapped at Glenn, bowing up taller like any self-respecting alpha would do, proving that he hadn’t turned into some knot whipped bitch in the time he had been away from his brother. 

**“Man, look like you went native, brother.”** Merle laughed, unable to help it. It tickled him to see the others listening to Daryl when he spoke, considering his words carefully.

**“No more than you hanging out with that psycho back there!”** Daryl hissed immediately.. He began to pace back and forth, anxious habits returning as he was forced onto the defensive.

The argument continued. Merle told them about Andrea, about Michonne’s pet walkers, and he mocked them for having no bullets until Rick struck him on the back of the head. 

That was alright. _Merle needed a nap anyhow._

* * *

Rick hated to argue with Daryl. Recently, Daryl always stayed calm and quiet, patiently explaining his point - something which he had only begun to do since being separated from Merle. With his brother returned as a bad influence, , would Daryl fall back into his old patterns? Returning to the almost feral behavior that he had demonstrated when Rick first met him?

Rick sighed, shaking his head.  **“It won’t work.”**

**“It’s gotta.”** Daryl said, instantly.

**“It’ll stir things up.”**

**“The governor is probably on his way to the prison right now.”** Daryl reasoned, not hesitating to hold Rick’s gaze _._ **“Merle knows how he thinks, and we could use the muscle.”**

_ Rick… please _ . 

Rick heard the words just as clearly as if Daryl had spoken them aloud, and his heart ached in his chest.

**“I’m not having him at the prison.”** Maggie said, shaking Rick from the flurry of emotions which had flooded him..

**“Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol or Beth?”** Glenn agreed with his mate..

**“He ain’t a rapist.”** Daryl scoffed, pissed at the insinuation on his brother’s behalf.. 

For once, Rick wished that Glenn would stop trying to help, but Glenn pressed on:

**“Yeah, well, his buddy is.”**

Beside him, Maggie shot Glenn a sharp look that clearly said ‘stop talking’, but it was too late, and Rick could make an educated guess about why Glenn was so angry - beyond the obvious, it was about what had happened to Maggie.

_ One problem at a time _ .

**“They ain’t buddies no more. Not after last night.”** Daryl insisted, again looking to Rick to support him, but Rick had to be firm. He couldn’t buckle just because Daryl happened to be the one to ask. Rick sighed.

**“There’s no way Merle’s gonna live there without putting everyone at each other’s throat.”**

_ Please understand why I’m doing this… _

Daryl scowled in obvious disagreement, spitting:  **“So you’re gonna cut Merle loose and bring the last samurai home with us?”**

**“She’s not coming back.”** Rick said quickly. 

There was no way that he could justify special treatment for Michonne, if none was being shown to Daryl’s brother, but that stance was immediately unbalanced by Maggie declaring that Michonne was in no state to be left alone. Glenn agreed with Maggie, adding that Michonne had led the way to their rescue. 

Dammit, why was no one working  _ with _ Rick? They were supposed to trust his judgement, that he would do what was best for their family, and that his word was final.

**“Yeah, and then ditched us.”** Rick snapped, resting a hand on his hip.

**“At least let my dad stitch her up.”** Maggie insisted, but Rick shook his head

**“She’s too unpredictable.”**

**“That’s right. We don’t know who she is.”** Daryl agreed eagerly, before leaning heavily on the point by adding:  **“But Merle, Merle’s blood.”**

**“No, Merle is your blood.”** Glenn argued.  **“My blood, my family is standing right here. And waiting for us back at the prison.”**

**“And you’re part of that family.”** Rick assured his mate, putting his hand on Daryl’s arm before taking the plunge:  **“But he’s not. He’s not.”**

Daryl stepped away from Rick’s touch as if he had been burned, pulling his arm free and shaking his head fiercely, before spitting:  **“Man, y’all don’t know-”** He cut himself off, silent for a moment before he set his jaw and squared his shoulders.  **“Fine. We’ll fend for ourselves.”**

**“That’s not what I was saying.”** Glenn said hurriedly, clearly not having expected such a response.

**“No him, no me.”** Daryl said, bluntly.

**“Daryl, you don’t have to do that.”** Maggie said, her voice softer.

**“It was always Merle and I before this.”** Daryl shrugged, glancing at Rick. 

But Rick was frozen with shock, as if his heart had stopped and was now shattering to pieces.  _ No, Daryl. You can’t leave. You can’t. You have to stay. Stay with me.  _ He couldn’t speak - he felt as if his lungs were on fire, as if the same shot was ripping through his chest again and again... No, being shot had hurt less than this.

**“Don’t.”** Maggie said, stepping up where Rick was faltering and using the authoritative tone of an alpha. 

**“You serious?”** Glenn asked.  **“You’re just gonna leave like that?”**

**“You’d do the same.”** Daryl snapped. Already he was hardening - that wall that Rick had worked so desperately to break through, to his heart, shooting back up in moments.

**“What do you want us to tell Carol?”** Glenn persisted. “And Carl? Or Beth?”

**“She’ll understand.”** Daryl shook his head. “And they’re kids, man. They’ll be able to get over it. They’re tough.” 

And Daryl looked towards Rick again, to his alpha, giving him one last chance to speak up, to fix it… But Rick couldn’t. He was stuck. Daryl nodded, pushing past them toward the car. 

**“Say good-bye to your pop for me.”**

**“Daryl, are you serious? Daryl!”** Glenn shouted, trailing off when Rick finally moved, hurrying after Daryl. 

_ No. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t lose Daryl like this. _

**“Hey. Hey!”** Rick called, catching up to Daryl and grabbing his arm.  **“There’s gotta be another way.”**

Daryl hesitated, before speaking softly, pleading:  **“Don’t ask me to leave him. I already did that once.”**

“Is leaving me easier?” Rick asked, feeling wounded. Did Merle’s sudden reappearance erase their being mates?

“Did my job.” Daryl mumbled, not meeting Rick’s eyes. “Helped get your head on straight. Took care of your kids… you’ll be fine.”

“And what about you? Being away from me during your heat is gonna hurt, Darlin’. I don’t want you to go through that.” Rick whispered, and he reached out to touch Daryl’s cheek, stepping with him when Daryl tried to pull away again.

“I can make it.” Daryl shrugged, looking down at his boots. “Merle’ll watch my back if I gotta slow down. Only lasts a couple days.”

“A couple days where you can barely keep water down, much less food.” Rick pointed out. “I’m supposed to trust that he won’t leave you behind for walker bait?”

“You’re supposed to trust me.” Daryl said.. “Trust me on Merle.”

“I can’t put the group at odds like that.” Rick said. “Maggie and Glenn_”

Daryl scoffed, pushing Rick’s hand away. “Fuck them! I’m supposed to matter, Rick! Your mate, remember? I’ve never asked you for anything. I’m asking you not to send away the only blood family I got.”

“Daryl, I don’t want to fight with you.” Rick protested. “God, it’s the last thing I want. You’re beat to hell after last night and all I want is to hold you and keep you safe. But I have to do what’s right for the group.”

He glanced over his shoulder at Glenn and Maggie, before whispering urgently:  **“We started something last night. You realize that, huh?”**

Daryl shook his head, walking around to the trunk of the car and opening it to collect his gear **. “No him, no me. That’s all I can say.”**

**“Take care of yourself. Take care of Lil’ Asskicker. Carl. He’s one tough kid.”**

Rick could feel his breathing, his chest aching as he tried to remember how. His eyes burned. “Daryl…”

Daryl hesitated before leaning in, pressing a quick kiss to Rick’s lips and hurrying away, towards Merle.

“I need you.” Rick whispered helplessly, his voice failing him. 

Watching Daryl walk away? God, Rick would rather get ripped open. He would take anything over this - Watching half his soul walk away, knowing that this could be the last time they ever saw each other...

“I love you.” Rick whispered, as the tears began to fall.

* * *

**“You didn’t kill him.”**

**“That’s not why we went back.”**

**“No. That’s right. You went back for** **_Daryl_ ** **. And now he’s gone again, and the governor is still alive!”**

Rick had to grit his teeth when Glenn spat Daryl’s name, implying that the situation was Daryl’s fault, despite that not being the case.

**“Daryl was the priority.”** He said, focusing on remaining calm.

Glenn shook his head, miserably.  **“I should have been there with you.”**

**“You were in no condition-”**

**“But my girlfriend was?”** Glenn cut Rick off, anger and upset pouring from him and making both alphas fidget in the face of beta distress.

**“Glenn, this isn’t about us.”** Maggie frowned, stepping forward.

**“I should have been there!”** Glenn insisted.

**“Hey, hey** .” Rick held up a hand to try and stop Glenn’s seeming growing panic attack.  **“You didn’t go back with us because you could barely walk.”**

**“What about her?”** Glenn asked, causing Maggie to scoff angrily at being referred to as if she weren’t present.

**“What about me?”** She said, moving to Rick’s side. “Glenn, I’m fine.”

**“Do you know what he did to her?”** Glenn continued as if Maggie hadn’t spoken, his voice rising in both pitch and volume as fury burned in his eyes.

**“Leave it alone!”** Maggie shouted, before Rick could respond to her furious beta. 

She was so quiet most of the time that Rick often forgot that she was also an alpha, and it always came as a surprise when she asserted her authority. Even Rick nearly flinched at her shout, but Glenn wasn’t cowed.

**“Do you know?”** He asked again, more quietly this time, before Maggie cut him off once more.

**“Let’s go.”** Maggie commanded, pushing the truck’s tailgate up with an air of finality.

Glenn took a deep breath, but changed the subject, circling back to where the conversation had begun.

**“After all that effort, all the risk we took.”** He growled.. “ **And Daryl just takes off with Merle?”**

Rick swallowed, hard, and took a shaky breath.  **“He had his reasons.”**

**“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Rick. It doesn’t change the fact that we’re up to our necks in shit.”**

**“You want me to turn the car around and beg him to come back? Throw down a welcome mat for Merle?”** Rick snapped, losing his temper.  **“This is the hand we’ve been dealt!”**

Glenn flinched, and Rick couldn’t blame him. He had nearly shouted before wrestling himself back under control and lowering his voice.

“I lost my mate today, Glenn. You think  _ you’re _ pissed because Daryl left?” Rick asked. “He’s my mate, and he walked away.  _ Walked away. _ I am beyond pissed. And as your friend, I seriously, and I mean,  _ seriously _ , suggest that you don’t pick a fight with me today. You would not win.”


	10. Episode Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A whole chapter with the Dixon boys!

Daryl was sulking. Or perhaps that wasn’t the right word - grieving, maybe.

Boy was one of the best hunters Merle had ever known, but he hadn’t caught a damned thing all day, and every time Merle turned to look at him he was staring off somewhere, like a damned kicked puppy. Every now and then Merle would catch him reaching to touch the mark on his neck before putting his hand down again quickly.

Hell, heartbreak wasn’t a good look on anybody, but on Daryl it was just pathetic. 

A couple of times Merle had tried to draw him out of his head, goad him into arguments over something stupid, but for once Daryl didn’t take the bait. He answered everything in the same flat tone, if he answered at all beyond a grunt or monosyllable..

Occasionally Daryl would say something embarrassingly transparent, like how maybe they should loop closer toward the road, in hope that being near the road would encourage Merle to take him back to the prison. _ To his alpha. _

Merle smirked.  Daryl was a Dixon alright, he would rather curl up and die than admit he had changed his mind. Will Dixon had certainly beaten that into the pair of them good and proper..

Merle tried to nip the notion of returning in the bud after the second time Daryl suggested it, surmising that the folks still there were probably long dead already - and was taken aback when his little brother still didn’t rise to the bait. Instead he just sighed and walked on. 

After their argument about the creek, Merle was almost relieved to see a sign of life when Daryl’s head snapped up..

**“You hear that?”** He said, looking around, searching for the source of the sound.

Merle shrugged.

**“Yeah, wild animals getting wild.”**

**“No,”** Daryl frowned. **“It’s a baby.”**

**“Oh come on. Why don’t you piss in my ear and tell me it’s raining too?”** Merle rolled his eyes and gestured toward the source of the noise.  **“That there is a couple of ‘coons making love, sweet love, y’know what I mean?”**

Daryl didn’t even scoff when Merle rolled his hips, instead pushing through the trees until a bridge came into view. Now that they stood closer, the sound was most definitely a baby howling. Merle would never admit how impressed he was, that Daryl had been able to tell from a mile off, so instead he laughed and hollered for the idiot on the bridge to jump.

Daryl shoved past him.

**“What?”** Merle scoffed, hurrying to keep pace with Daryl, who seemed intent on playing the hero if it killed him. **“Man, I ain’t wasting my bullets on a couple of strangers who ain’t never cooked me a meal or felicitated my piece. That’s my policy. You’d be wise to adopt it, brother.”**

Despite the fact that Daryl then went and did exactly the opposite, Merle had to admit it was damned impressive. Daryl had always been fast with his bow, but now he was clever too. He bobbed and weaved through the biters, even using the bolt as a knife when unable to reach his actual knife. Merle rolled his eyes and fired a shot to cover his brother as he finished off the last of the biters; Daryl had taken out six of them, on his own, while the damned idiots with the car scurried around like morons.

Well, Hell, the least the fuckers could do to thank them was hand over some supplies. Merle drew his gun and used it to hold back who he assumed to be the father of the little group, who babbled at him in Spanish.

**“Let’em go.”** Daryl said, quietly.

**“The least they can do is give us an enchilada or something, huh?”** Merle insisted, lowering his gun despite himself, before leaning into the car and starting to dig through the supplies. There wasn’t much. A couple of cans of baby formula and a few bags of some leaf thing that didn’t look edible and clearly wasn’t pot, so Merle tossed it aside.

**“Get out of the car.”**

Merle felt the sharp tip of a bolt press into his back.

**“I know you’re not talking to me, brother.”** Merle huffed, slowly standing.

**“Get in your car and get the hell out of here. Go! Get in your car!”** Daryl ordered the family, and they must have received the message because they scrambled like cockroaches.

As the car started to pull away, Merle straightened up to put himself face to face with Daryl’s crossbow. He squared his shoulder and narrowed his eyes in warning, asking:

“You got the balls to pull the trigger, little brother?”

Daryl’s jaw clenched but he didn’t lower the bow, didn’t even twitch. 

Merle could see that same angry fire in his brother that he had seen at Woodbury. It was something he had never seen in Daryl before - his anger had always been thinly veiled before, like a wildfire that caught and died out quickly, but this?This was a slowly smoldering ember, burning hot and burning long.

Merle raised his hand but Daryl lowered it before Merle could push it away, turning and walking back to his dropped bag, continuing to collect his used bolts as the two of them walked back to the woods in silence. They had only made it twenty feet before Merle snapped **:**

**“The shit you doin’, pointing that thing at me?”**

“ **They were scared, man.”** Daryl shook his head.

**“They were rude is what they were.”** Merle argued **. “Rude and they owed us a token of gratitude.”**

**“They didn’t owe us nothing.”** Daryl sighed.

**“You helping people out of the goodness of your heart? Even though you might die doing it? Is that something your sheriff Rick taught you?”** Merle said, snidely.

**“There was a baby!”** Daryl snapped, temper finally flaring like Merle had wanted it to all day. 

**“Oh otherwise you would just left them to the biters, then?”** Merle jeered, looking at him in mock surprise. 

Daryl bit his tongue momentarily.. 

**“Man, I went back for you. You weren’t there. I didn’t cut off your hand neither. You did that. Way before they locked you up on that roof. You asked for it.”**

**“You know, what’s funny to me?”** Merle scoffed, shaking his head and holding up two crossed fingers.  **“You and Sheriff Rick are like this now. Right?** You went and got all knotted up and you’re a whole different person, little brother.  **I bet you a penny and a fiddle of gold that you never told him that we were planning on robbing that camp blind.”**

**“It didn’t happen.”** Daryl scowled.

**“Yeah, it didn’t. ‘Cause I wasn’t there to help you.** You always need somebody with a knot holding your hand and leading you around like a little bitch.” Merle huffed.

Daryl’s lip curled a little, and he took Merle off guard by hissing:  **“What? Like when we were kids, huh? Who left who then?”**

**“What?”** Merle shouted, taken aback, real anger bleeding into his voice.  **“Huh? Is that why I lost my hand?”**

**“You lost your hand because you’re a simpleminded piece of shit!”** Daryl shot back, turning on his heels to walk away, but Merle grabbed him by the collar before he could, sending Daryl tripping to the ground when he pulled and tearing the back of his shirt open.

And then Merle was at a loss for words. His baby brother was covered in scars - big, ugly ones, criss-crossed across his back as if he’d been lashed. Shit. In the silence Merle’s mind raced. How had he never known? How had he never seen it? Daryl had been careful not to let him see, Merle could see that now. Merle hadn’t been there to stop Daryl taking those beatings and yet Daryl had still followed Merle; still trusted him.

**“I,”** Merle said, haltingly.  **“I didn’t know he was-”**

**“Yeah, he did.”** Daryl answered, flatly, his voice wavering. He struggled with his shirt for a moment before giving up and pulling his backpack over both shoulders instead, shaking as he shouldered his crossbow.  **“He did the same to you. That’s why you left first.”**

Merle had left Daryl alone with Will Dixon when the kid had been young, all lanky limbs and wide eyes, he could only have been ten or so, but Merle had found him again just a few months later! He was the one who had invested in getting Daryl one of those omega implants, knowing sure as hell that if Will Dixon, drunken bastard, had gotten a single whiff of an omega in his house… 

**“I had to, man.”** Merle said, watching Daryl’s retreating back.  **“I would have killed him otherwise. Where you going?”**

**“Back where I belong.”** Daryl turned to face him, full of defiance.

**“I can’t go with you.”** Merle said, weakly, suddenly full of fear at the prospect of losing his baby brother again.  **“I tried to kill that black bitch. Damn near killed the Chinese kid.”**

**“He’s** **_Korean_ ** **.”** Daryl said sharply.

**“Whatever.”** Merle threw his hand up in frustration.  **“Doesn’t matter, man. I just can’t go with you.”**

**“You know, I may be the one walking away.”** Daryl shook his head. **“But you’re the one that’s leaving. Again.”**

Merle hesitated for several long moments before he groaned and jogged to catch up with Daryl. Once they had been walking for a while, and Merle has caught his breath, he said: 

“You sure did get stressed ‘bout that kid earlier. Acted like a momma lost her cub.” 

Daryl looked away and Merle blinked in stunned surprise. “I’ll be fucking damned… You only known Rick a year, boy. He already got a pup outta ya?”

Daryl scowled.

“Nah, she ain’t mine. Just… her mom died having her and I’m the one who fed her first. She’s got these big blue eyes and a little nose.” He glanced at Merle and then shook his head. “Forget it. Ain’t giving you something to give me shit over.”

“Ain’t gonna give you shit for being a decent daddy.” Merle sighed. “Lord knows you didn’t have any example of one.”

“It’s all instinct.” Daryl admitted. “She looked up at me for the first time, and I was just… that was it, man. Wrapped around her little finger from the day she was born.”

“You lookin’ to hunker down and have a litter now?” Merle raised an eyebrow.

Daryl scoffed. “Fuck no. One baby around is enough. And even if I wanted to… I can’t.”

Merle frowned, listening on as Daryl explained the effect of the implant he had had, and what it had done to his chances of fertility. Merle shrugged.

“Could be a good thing though.” He said, making a pass at sounding reassuring. “Never wanted a brat of your own anyway, right? Now you ain’t gotta worry about it.”

* * *

Rick wasn’t able to decide whether he felt guilty or glad that he had been outside the fences. He decided on the former - If he hadn’t been outside in the first place, then he wouldn’t have found himself standing a few feet from Daryl now.

“You came back.” He whispered.

He was still panting from their scrap with the walkers as he shoved his gun into its holster and marched forward, pulling Daryl to his chest and kissing him hard. Daryl froze, surprised by the sudden onslaught of affection, but slowly melted into his mate’s arms. His bow arm fell limp at his side and his other hand moved to Rick’s hair, twisting into the sweaty curls. Slowly, Daryl pulled back, letting Rick move to rest his forehead against Daryl’s shoulder.

“I’m back.” Daryl promised. “C’mon, let’s get inside.”

Rick stepped back, glancing over at Merle, who was shuffling awkwardly. Rick wanted to laugh. He wouldn’t have imagined that Merle would be comfortable standing by whilst his brother engaged in a very public display of affection, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t care about anything, because now he could face anything.

“Come on.” Rick said to Merle. “It’s your fight now too.”

Merle’s face twisted into a grin, and Rick really hoped that this wasn’t another bad idea.


	11. Episode 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl's back in the prison, and so is Merle

Having Daryl back felt better than Rick could have imagined. They had made their way through to the showers and washed up together, hands moving slowly over the other’s skin, searching for wounds or injuries. Daryl’s ribs were still bruised, causing him to flinch when Rick pressed too hard, so Rick got onto his knees and kissed each one of them gently. Daryl let him do so for a few moments, before he dragged Rick to his feet, his breathing a little heavier. 

“C’mon. Wasted enough water already.”

Rick chuckled softly, helping Daryl gently towel dry off and stealing small kisses as he did. It was dark, and they had waited long enough; until everyone else had settled in for the night. Even Merle had settled in, locked in his makeshift cell in one of the old weapon cages - it was just outside the cell block, and within sight lines, making it as good a place as any.

Even so, Rick made sure to lock the cell block behind them, and checked on Carl before following Daryl to their room. Judith was in her makeshift crib in Beth’s cell, so he knew she was safe and secure.

Finally, Rick and Daryl were alone. Daryl draped their towels over the back of a chair, his back to Rick. It seemed like a perfect invitation so Rick stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Daryl and gently kissing over one shoulder, before continuing up Daryl’s neck and around his mating bite.

“Missed you.” Rick whispered, running his hands over Daryl’s chest as he returned to kissing the back of his neck and down over his shoulders.

“You teasing?” Daryl mumbled, as he turned his head to look back at Rick.

“Not even close yet.” Rick whispered, moving his hands down to where Daryl’s jeans hung low on his hips. “Wanna lay down?”

Daryl hesitated for a moment before turning to face Rick. “Rick…”

Rick frowned, gently touching Daryl’s cheek. “Darlin’? Talk to me. You seem nervous.”

Daryl shifted his weight, tucking his head slightly. “Just… last time, y’know. Ain’t exactly looking for a repeat.”

Rick sighed, nodding in understanding and pressing his forehead against Daryl’s.

“I don’t remember that so well… I know you came down to the boiler room… and I know we_” He grimaced a bit. “We had sex, but… I only remember when it was already done. I’m so sorry. Hershel told me you looked pretty rough after. I didn’t think about what he meant until now.”

He lifted Daryl’s chin, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “If you’re not ready, darlin’, we can go to bed. Long as I can hold you, I will be a happy man.”

“Up to me, huh?”

“Always.” Rick promised.

* * *

It was not easy being the only supportive voice in an argument. It was even harder to support that argument when you doubted it yourself. 

Hershel didn’t trust Daryl’s brother. He unnerved Hershel something awful, but Hershel was confident in what he had told them. It was clear that Merle would do just about anything to protect Daryl, and if that was the only way to ensure Merle’s support, then they would just have to accept it. Even so, when Hershel sat down on the bench next to Merle Dixon, he did not know what to expect, nor what to say for that matter.

“Your brother is a good man.” Hershel began, eventually, starting on safe ground. “Always had a good head on his shoulders. And I like to think, brother or not, he wouldn’t have brought someone into this group that would hurt anyone.”

“You might be the only one, old man.” Merle chuckled dryly, before using his teeth to tear the duct tape that he was currently using to add a knife to his stump.

“Rick trusts Daryl.” Hershel continued.. “He knows that Daryl is valuable to the group. And he knows in his heart that you are too.”

“Rick trusts that my baby brother’s gonna jump his knot at the end of the day.” Merle grumbled, tossing aside the tape. It knocked into the grating and rattled loudly.

“When I met your brother… would’ve called him feral.” Hershel said calmly, ignoring the comment. “He was on edge. Afraid. And this group? They were scared. You never can trust a wild card. Daryl, though… he fought his way into this group. Became the voice of reason in many a conversation. And that was before he and Rick mated.”

Merle scowled and looked up. “How’d… how’d that happen anyway? Daryl was covered. Had an implant and everything.”

“Daryl was tracking Sophia, Carol’s daughter.” Hershel explained. “He’d borrowed one of my horses without knowing she was a skittish thing. Got thrown down a cliff. He landed on a bolt and it tore right through his side. Now I can’t tell you what happened during the time between that and him arriving at the farm but judging from blood loss, I’d say it was a good three or four hours. That boy kept looking. When he got to the farm, Andrea shot him. Well, clipped his temple. Rick and the group brought him inside and I patched him up. Had to remove the implant. Bolt had cut right through it. Shattered it.”

“Making him sound like a damn hero.” Merle chuckled.

Hershel shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but I do know a few things. For one, Daryl is loyal to a fault. He had his own moral code, and he stands by it. No matter what. And I know you share that.”

Merle’s head shot up, his expression suspicious. It was clear that Merle was just as new to compliments and any sort of positive treatment as Daryl was. It made the father in Hershel itch to clock their father in the jaw. Instead, he continued:

“Now your loyalty doesn’t extend to the group, and I respect that. You see no reason to. But you’re loyal to your brother. You’d protect him against anything.” 

Hershel waited until Merle nodded in acknowledgment, before adding: 

“Daryl needs this group. Rick, of course, but these people… they love him. They have that same loyalty you feel. And so does Daryl. I guess, by some extent, that means you’re loyal to the group.”

“Some sloppy logic, old man.” Merle chuckled. “But alright. I see what you’re saying. So what? You asking me to save the group because I love my brother?”

“I’m asking you to give them a chance because you love your brother.” Hershel corrected. “Can you tell me truthfully that he was alright away from here?”

Merle’s eyes darkened and he looked down. It was answer enough.

“I thought as much.” Hershel nodded. “At least give it some thought, please?”

“Yeah, alright, old man.” Merle sighed heavily. “I’ll think on it.”

True to his word, Merle did a lot of thinking after his talk with Hershel. He didn’t trust people, especially these ones, Rick, Glenn… those two even more than all that. Merle didn’t know if he could ever let go of that grudge, but Daryl’s words from before hung in his mind Hell, a lot of that argument stuck in his mind.

_Simple minded prick…_

When had the kid that Merle known, that angry ball of confusion, become someone so different? He didn’t bow up at every challenge, he didn’t flinch at a raised voice or back down from an argument - instead he had a quiet resolve about him, a sense of peace and rationality.

Merle had only ever wanted to protect his brother. To make Daryl strong enough to face the world. Daryl had been a small kid, with long limbs and a lanky frame which made him look as if a strong breeze would be able to snap him in half, so Merle had kept an eye on him. He had trained him to fight, gone hunting with him, and made sure he could track with the best of them. And Daryl had become better than even Merle... He still fought like a flailing noodle, but at least Merle still had him beat in one way or another.

But the worst part of it was that what Hershel had described, all this growth and becoming his own person… Daryl had done it without Merle. He didn’t need his brother anymore, and that was a thought that bit worse than any biter. Daryl had gone and become a decent man when Merle was away. He was a leader, not a nose down and tail tucked follower. He was strong, he was confident, and it was Sheriff Rick, not Merle, who had been a part of it. 

No one needed Merle.

Merle wanted to be pissed off that what it had taken in the end for his baby brother to get his shit together was a decent knot, but then, the old man had told him about the farm, about Daryl growing up even before Officer Friendly got into his pants.

Daryl had this inside him all along. He had just needed room to breathe, a place where no one was protecting him and no one was coddling him because of what he was. Merle had tried not to, but instinct always had made it hard to let Daryl move too far from his side. Hell, when Daryl went off to hunt alone that last day Merle was in the quarry, the older Dixon had nearly thrown a fit, but Daryl had been fine and had returned to the group without a problem. Daryl had needed to _get away_ from Merle.. 

Daryl didn’t need him, not at all, and it left Merle at an agonizing lose. He had no purpose - not protecting and teaching his brother, not defending Woodbury, he was just… useless. Just a one armed, racist asshole with a mean streak a mile wide, whom everyone wanted rid of

Christ, Merle needed a smoke. Or a drink. Hell, maybe some meth.

* * *

**“Some reunion, huh?”**

Daryl was standing against the wall beside Hershel when Rick walked over holding Lil’ Asskicker. Daryl was still having a hard time adjusting to calling her “Judith”, but he was trying.

**“She’s in a jam.”** Rick sighed. 

He must have sighed more than a dozen times since Andrea had driven away, more than five hours ago. He had been hovering around the makeshift crib, feeding Judith and rocking her, just doing everything he could to keep distracted from their other problems.

**“We all are.”** Hershel agreed, crossing his arms over his chest.  **“Andrea’s persuasive. This fella’s armed to the teeth. Bent on destruction.”**

They had each been thinking about it all evening. The tension with Woodbury was going to come to head soon, if not a war. Andrea wasn’t ballsy enough to actually pull the trigger on the Governor, especially not if she had feelings for him like Merle had said she had.

It surprised Daryl sometimes, that she wasn’t an omega, the way she latched onto alphas for direction. But she also tried to take charge from everyone but that alpha, so maybe it was for the best that she wasn’t. Omegas like that led to bloodshed.

**“So what do you want to do?”** Daryl asked, focusing on Rick. 

His own alpha had been so quiet and distant all evening that even their bond felt disconnected. It made Daryl nauseous, feeling so alone for the first time in over a year. 

The sooner they solved this Governor thing, the better.

**“We match it.”** Rick answered quietly, glancing at Daryl before settling again, just off to the side of where Daryl and Hershel stood. Anyone not paying attention would think that he was just looking over the rest of their pack, but Daryl knew differently. Rick was a shitty liar and even worse at keeping secrets.

**“I’m going on a run.”** Rick added, turning to walk away.

**“I’ll head out tomorrow.”** Daryl nodded in agreement, already starting to map out a few locations they could run through.

**“No, you stay here.”** Rick shook his head, looking Daryl in the eye.  **“Keep an eye on your brother.”**

So that was why Rick had been fidgeting - he had known that Daryl wouldn’t like being left behind, and especially being deliberately put on babysitting duty.

**“I’m glad you’re back, really,”** Rick said, gently but firmly.  **“But if he causes a problem, it’s on you.”**

**“I got him.”** Daryl answered, just above a mumble. 

Daryl would watch Merle, and Judith, but he sure as shit wasn’t going to meekly do as he was told without speaking his mind first. 

**“I’ll take Michonne.”** Rick added after several long moments. It was silent except for the sounds of Beth’s singing.

**“You sure that’s a good idea?”** Daryl frowned, unhappy that Rick was planning to leave Daryl behind while he went out alone with the last samurai.

**“I’ll find out.”** Rick shrugged.  **“And Carl. He’s ready.”**

_ Your only back up if the chick with a katana goes AWOL is a moody thirteen year old? _

Daryl bit back the words, trying to keep the lid on his temper. Rick had better hope that he could outrun Daryl, otherwise there was a size 10 ½ boot waiting to kick him in the ass.

**“You hold it down here.”** Rick shifted Judith in his arms when she cooed.

This wasn’t an argument that Daryl wanted to have in front of their group.

**“You got it.”**

__________________________________

Daryl, to his credit, lasted until the door of their security-room-turned-bedroom closed before he finally snapped. “The hell are you thinking?”

Rick blinked, continuing to shake out their blanket so it would cover their mattress. “I don’t want any spiders climbing on either of us-”

“I ain’t talking about the blanket.” Daryl snapped. “Your run tomorrow.”

“We already discussed this.” Rick sighed, and despite the fact that he kept his voice low, it was easy to tell that he was frustrated that the topic was being broached again. 

“You discussed this.” Daryl corrected. “I wa’nt about to fight with you in front of folks.”

“What is there to fight about?” Rick asked. “I asked you to keep an eye on things here while I was gone.”

“No,” Daryl shook his head. “You  _ told _ me to keep an eye on my brother. You  _ told _ me to ‘hold down the fort’. Maybe you got a dictatorship in this group, but not on me. I ain’t your fuckin’ bitch for you to point and order around.”

Rick frowned and stepped towards Daryl. “Daryl, I-”

“I’m not done yet.” Daryl interrupted him, crossing his arms over his chest so that he couldn’t ball up a fist and take a swing at Rick - because he was in the perfect mood to do it.

“You want Merle on lock down, I get it, but you wanna go running off with the samurai bitch? Like that’s any safer? No back up if she goes ape. She’s an alpha too, if ya ain’t noticed and she could take you down easy.”

“Daryl,” Rick tried again, his tone firmer now that Daryl had insulted him as an alpha, bristling.

“This ain’t on keeping Merle locked in. You’re locking me in, and that shit ain’t okay, Rick. If I wanted to walk out, I damn sure could whether you told me to stay or not.” Daryl paused, gritting his teeth before adding: “You don’t get to shut me out and lock me in a box. You either want me close or you want me gone. You can’t have it both ways.”

Rick said nothing, letting Daryl’s rant hang between them for a minute or two before he asked: “Is it my turn to talk now?”

“’m waiting, ain’t I?”

“I’m not trying to lock you up, Daryl.” Rick explained. “You’re right. I should have spoken  _ to you _ and not  _ at you _ , and I apologize. I just forget sometimes. It’s a bad habit.”

“Gonna apologize and make everything better, huh, Rick?” Daryl grumbled, the wind somewhat taken out of his sails.

“No, darlin’, I am trying to let you know what I’m thinking.” Rick corrected softly. “I don’t want you to feel shut out. I’ve noticed the distance too. I just… I didn’t know how to address it. I thought it was just my nerves when you were gone, but it hasn’t gotten better yet. Even the other night.”

Daryl wrinkled his nose. The other night, meaning the sex they had had the night Daryl had returned, when Rick had been sweet and gentle, and treated him like glass. He had been so delicate that he hadn’t even bitten Daryl as he usually did, hadn’t left marks of any kind - no hickeys, no scratches, no bruises... Daryl hadn’t been sore at all the next morning, not even a twinge of that happy soreness that made him feel safe and claimed, that he belonged to Rick and nothing could change that.

“Shit’s broken.” Daryl mumbled.

Rick sighed, leaning back against the desk. “Not broken. Just… closed for some reason.”

“Both know what it is.” Daryl said. “You’re holding out. Ever since the boiler room.”

“I hurt you.” Rick admitted. “You were scared the other night. I just… I wanted to take care of you.”

“Wasn’t scared of you, Rick.” Daryl rolled his eyes. “And pain I can handle.”

“I’m not looking for a repeat.” Rick said softly. “That’s what you said. I thought-”

“You weren’t there.” Daryl said, interrupting. He lowered his gaze to look down at his boots. “That’s what I hated. You weren’t there. You talk. You always fucking talk. Darlin’ this or sugar that. And you weren’t. I was just… just a warm body for you to fuck til you felt better.”

Rick blinked slowly, and then frowned again as realization crossed his face. “I made you feel like an omega.”

Daryl nodded, swallowing hard against the thick lump forming in his throat.

“I want to tell you how sorry I am.” Rick said. “But I feel like I’d get punched for that. Because you’d think it was patronizing.”

Daryl felt the corner of his lip twitch with the faintest hint of a smile. Rick was right there.

“So how about instead we compromise?” Rick offered. “I get to hug you and I’ll promise not to act like a dumb knot head alpha again.”

“Compromise is supposed to give us both something.” Daryl pointed out, the heaviness that had been lingering between them easing. “What do I get?”

“I won’t be stupid and try to apologize a thousand times even though every part of me wants to.” Rick grinned, mischief returning to his eyes..

“You ever gonna stop being such a pain in my ass?”

“Thought the problem was that I wasn’t enough of one.”

“Dick.”

“Darlin’.”

Beaten, Daryl rolled his eyes and threw his hands down, shuffling over and letting Rick pull him into a tight embrace.

“Love you too much to go around hurting you like that.” Rick sighed, pressing his face into Daryl’s hair.

“God, least fuck me before you get all sappy and shit.” Daryl groaned.

“Nope. Stuck with it. All sap, all the time.” Rick grinned, patting Daryl on the ass. “Better get used to it.”

“Hate you.” Daryl mumbled, pressing his face into Rick’s neck and slowly bringing his arms to wrap around his alpha.

“You love me.”

And Daryl couldn’t argue with that.


	12. Episode Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for negotiations! And Rick finds out a secret his mate has been hiding...

Daryl didn’t like the situation one bit. Rick being alone in a room with the Governor? Fuck, it made Daryl anxious. He paced around the outside of the building, checking on Hershel and making it in time to stop Andrea’s vehicle.

**“What the hell, why’s your boy already in there?”** Daryl asked, never lowering his crossbow. 

He was on edge. He didn’t like Rick being alone with the governor, and he sure as shit wasn’t happy seeing as Rick had come home  _ with a stab wound _ just two days before. 

But Michonne had warned against letting the governor know that Rick had Daryl, knowing he would try to target an omega to get to Rick, which would be bad for everyone. Maggie had reluctantly agreed, and her first hand experience with the Governor prevented Daryl from arguing.

Hell, even Merle had agreed that Daryl should stay back at the prison. Daryl had shot Rick a glare but they had compromised: Daryl could come to the meeting, but he would stay outside. ...But if shit hit the fan, he would be the first one in. 

**“He’s here?”** Andrea asked, looking stunned. 

What was it with Betas, thinking they had their Alphas on a leash? Or that they had any authority in the situation at all?

**“Yup.”** Daryl answered shortly, his bow pointed towards the driver of the big truck.

It was the Hispanic guy, Martinez, and he was one of those Alphas that you could smell the hormones coming off from thirty feet. A guy trying too damned hard to be big and intimidating, throwing his weight around like a sack of bricks. When he smirked at Daryl, eyeing him up from head to toe, Daryl made a mental note to be sure to kill him the second Rick let loose the leash.

Andrea gave a heavy sigh and hurried inside the building.

Daryl could make out all three voices from outside: Andrea’s know it all tone, Rick’s quiet drawl, and a third voice which he remembered vividly as the Governor’s. Unfortunately he couldn’t make out the words clearly, so he reached out through their bond and nudged Rick, silently checking in. Rick responded calmly, but if he became anxious or thought things were going bad, Daryl would know immediately.

After their conversation the other night, their bond had seemingly become stronger than ever. They hadn’t been able to speak silently again, not since the first time it had happened, but the emotional connection, the nudges, tugs, and feeling that their heart strings were now tied, had been restored.

They had worked out a system now. One tug was a simple check in, a reminder that the other was present; two was a sign of anxiety, signalling anything from worry to ‘I miss you’; and three, or even one violent yank, was the red alert, ‘Now, I need you now’. They hadn’t tested the latter yet, but had agreed upon it so as to be safe. Rick had mentioned, just the day before, that he wished that he could contact any of their group in the same way, but Daryl disagreed. He liked that their bond was private, special. 

Daryl became antsy again quickly, lowering his crossbow but keeping it in hand while pacing back and forth. Martinez continued to cast glances at him, eyeing him up and licking his lips. Daryl hated alphas like him. Cock sure, convinced that they could seduce any omega just because they would fall, legs open, for anything with a knot.

**“Maybe I should go inside.** ” Hershel offered quietly, and Daryl wanted to agree. Andrea was there to back up the governor but since Daryl couldn’t go inside to support Rick, Hershel was the next best option.. He was level headed and quiet, and would be a good negotiator.

**“The Governor thought it best if he and Rick spoke privately.”** Piped up the poindexter, the one with the tucked in plaid button up and beady little eyes. From the way he had kissed the governor’s ass, it was easy to think that he was an omega, but no. He was just a beta, and one with no spine.

**“Who the hell are you?”** Daryl asked, making it a point to lean and look around Martinez’s bulk.

**“Milton Mamet.”** His voice trembled as he spoke, scared shitless. Daryl doubted that he had been outside of Woodbury since the start.

**“Great.”** Daryl shrugged. **“He brought his butler.”**

Martinez laughed, leaning back against the truck and starting to relax.

**“I’m his advisor.”** _Milton_ corrected, not looking up from his little notebook.

**“What kind of advice?”** Daryl asked, cocking his head, and resisting the urge to point out that it must not be good advice, or else they wouldn’t all be there.

**“Planning. Biters.”** The Beta shook his head **. “Uh, you know, I’m sorry. I don’t feel like I need to explain myself to the henchmen.”**

**“You better watch your mouth, sunshine,”** Daryl retorted, giving him a quick once over. 

He looked as if he had never even thrown a punch in his life, and the lack of awareness around Daryl just confirmed his status as a beta. An alpha, or an omega, would have been able to tell immediately what Daryl was, and that he was Rick’s mate, and the little shit didn’t seem ballsy enough to risk open disrespect if he had had any idea who he was talking to. Darly found himself wishing that Rick was out here to do his growly, angry alpha thing.

**“Look, if you and I are gonna be out here pointing guns at each other all day, do me a favor. Shut your mouth.”** Martinez’s lips curled into a smirk. “Unless you would rather hit your knees and be a good omega.”

Daryl curled his lip in disgust, stepping forward until he was chest to chest with the smaller man. He didn’t often have the height advantage over alphas who gave him shit, but he was pretty sure that he could take this fucker out at the knee.

**“We don’t need this.”** Hershel said. **“If all goes south in there, we’ll be at each other’s throats soon enough.”**

Martinez gave a short chuckle, smirking at Daryl. “Get back on your leash, little bitch.”

Daryl returned to Hershel’s side, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched tightly. The fighting couldn’t begin soon enough as far as he was concerned, and these two would be the first ones down to catch a bolt between the eyes.

His attention was drawn back to the building by Rick’s shout, and it took Hershel’s firm hand on his shoulder to stop Daryl from charging inside. A few minutes afterwards, Andrea stepped out and walked past the cars, looking irritated.

“Guess one of the alphas put her in her place.” Daryl said absently. 

“Andrea had good intentions in calling this negotiation.” Hershel sighed. “But I worry she is overestimating her sway in Woodbury. A place in an alpha’s bed does not mean a place at his side.”

“Old man’s got half a brain.” Martinez said. “Now if only Andrea would figure that out.”

“Wasn’t talking to you.” Daryl grumbled.

Martinez rolled his eyes and walked toward the door, pulling it closed. Now Daryl couldn’t hear the people inside speaking at all, only adding to his already frazzled nerves.

* * *

**“So you’re the Governor.”** Rick sighed, sitting down across the table from him. 

The Governor’s expression was smug and his posture was arrogantly at ease. Rick wanted to carve his other eye out with a spoon.

**“That’s their term, not mine.”** The Governor chuckled, attempting to look bashful. Rick had enough years in a uniform to see through such a thinly veiled expression. 

**“Oh.”** Rick drew out the syllable, adjusting in his chair and waving his hand for emphasis.  **“But still, you’re beholden to your people.”**

**“Well, of course.”** The governor answered, solemnly.

**“You have responsibility to them.”** Rick continued. 

**“Mm-hmm.”**

**“Wasn’t Merle your lieutenant?”** Rick asked, looking at him curiously. 

**“He was helpful, yeah.”** The governor agreed.

**“But you knew he was erratic.”** Rick said.  **“You blame him for scooping up Glenn and Maggie in the first place?”**

**“Exactly.”** The governor gave a short nod. **“I was trying to sort it out when you attacked.”**

_ Classic manipulative tactic: shift blame and make yourself the victim. Why was he playing like this? He knew that Rick wasn’t buying a second of his shit. _

**“So, it was his fault?”** Rick asked to clarify.

**“He’s a wild card, but he’s effective.”** The governor chuckled to himself. “Does that brother of his share that trait? Is that why he’s here despite his condition?  **He gets the dirty jobs done** ?”

“What condition?” Rick frowned.

“You can’t seriously be that dense.” The governor shook his head, letting out a short laugh before returning to seriousness. “Well, hell, Rick. You couldn’t tell? I smelled it on him when I met him a few weeks back.”

Wait. The Governor was saying that Daryl was… _ no. _ No, Daryl had been sure he wasn’t, but then again, Daryl had never been pregnant before, so he wouldn’t know how it would feel, and this was definitely something the Governor would and could exploit.

**“I thought you’d take responsibility.”** Rick said softly, forcing himself to focus. He would talk to Daryl later. 

**“I thought you were a cop, not a lawyer.”** The Governor snorted, almost impressed by Rick’s remaining unflustered.

**“Either way, I don’t pretend to be a governor.”** Rick replied.

**“I told you I’m their leader.”** The governor said, with the same smirk as before.

**“You’re the town drunk who knocked over my fence and ripped up my yard. Nothing more.** ” 

Rick was proud of himself from the way his voice remained level. The Governor went quiet for several long seconds before asking:

**“Didn’t you ever misjudge someone? Hmm?”** He leaned back in his chair again, watching Rick. 

God, Rick wanted to punch him.

**“Andrea told me about your baby.”** The governor added.  **“That it might be your partner’s. But you’re caring for her, and I admire that. Restitution for your own lack of insight. For failing to see the devil beside you.”**

Rick glared at him, before saying softly: . **“Oh, I see him alright.”**

“Gotta say though, with another little one on the way though… hope you’ve got somebody to be on babysitting duty.”

The governor laughed, amused by Rick’s involuntary glower, after just a little needling.

**“I brought whiskey.** ” He said suddenly, getting to his feet and walking to where he had stashed the bottle. 

It looked old, or perhaps the bottle was just old and worn down. 

Rick was having a hard time following the Governor’s mood swings...

* * *

**“There’s no reason not to use this time we have together to explore the issues ourselves.”** Milton said, after nearly twenty minutes of silence, slowly walking toward Daryl and Hershel. 

Before Daryl could growl at him in warning, Martinez replied:.  **“Boss said to sit tight and shut up.”**

**“Don’t you mean ‘the governor’?”** Daryl curled his lip as he said the name.

**“It’s a good thing that they’re sitting down.”** Milton insisted. **“Especially after what happened. They’re gonna work it out. Nobody wants another battle.”**

Daryl snorted. 

**“I wouldn’t exactly call it a battle.”**

**“I would call it a battle, and I did.”** Milton reached to pull a small book out of his pocket. **“I recorded it.”**

**“For what?”** Daryl scoffed, turning to face him.

**“Someone has to keep a record of what we’ve gone through.”** Milton answered, calmly. ”It’ll be a part of our history.”

Daryl was cut off before he could scoff again, this time by Hershel.

**“That makes sense.”** The old alpha nodded.

Milton perked up in response to the praise from an alpha. **“I have dozens of interviews—”**

Daryl stopped paying attention, noticing the sound of walkers approaching. He hurried towards them, Andrea and Martinez behind him at first, but after a short pissing contest it was just Daryl and Martinez left behind the feed mills. 

Daryl found a pack of cigarettes in one of the walker’s pockets and lit one, taking a long drag. Fuck, he missed smoking. He didn’t look for packs whilst on runs because they were the definition of nonessential, that and Rick wasn’t fond of the smell, but it was a comforting old habit. Daryl could close his eyes and pretend that he was sitting on a porch out in the middle of nowhere, Merle yelling at somebody in the background, and Daryl without a care in the world.

“Probably shouldn’t have called you a little bitch earlier.” Martinez said, shattering the small bubble of peace. “You can handle yourself. I can respect that.”

Daryl shrugged, glancing over his shoulder.  **“You army or something?”**

**“Nah.”** Martinez sighed. **“Just hate these things. After what they did. To my wife, kids.”**

Daryl gave a small nod, focusing on his cigarette. The more people they came across, the more it seemed as if Carl was the only kid to make it this far into the end of the world. Everybody’s kids had died. It made Daryl’s resolve to protect his pack’s brats even stronger.

“Sucks.” Daryl sighed, when Martinez seemed to be waiting for a response.

Martinez nodded, quieting for a moment before asking: “You got kids?”

“Nah.” Daryl shook his head. “None that are mine. Helping Rick with his two is enough.”

“That isn’t weird to you?” Martinez asked. “Raising some other bitch’s kids?”

“Rick’s ex never even met Lil’ Asskicker. She died first.” Daryl shrugged. “I’m as much her parent as anyone still alive can be. And Rick’s son… I ain’t trying to be his parent. Just hope I can help make sure he gets to try out being an adult someday.”

“Sounds noble.” Martinez commented .

“It’s just the right thing to do.” Daryl shrugged.

After another long stretch of silence, Martinez sighed heavily **.**

**“This is a joke, right? They’re not gonna work anything out. Sure they’ll do their little dance, but tomorrow, next day… they’ll give the word.”**

**“I know.”** Daryl agreed.

Martinez held his hand out, silently asking for a smoke, and Daryl handed one over easily. There was no point being an ass, at least not until the storm came in.

* * *

_“Is one woman really worth all those lives at the prison?”_

_“You could save your son. Save your daughter. Your mate. Hell, your unborn child… just give me Michonne.”_

The words kept running through Rick’s mind, over and over on repeat like a broken record.

Rick could sacrifice an innocent woman and likely still have to fight for his family’s lives, but what if this was the answer? What if this at least bought them some time?

“You’re thinking too loud.” Daryl said, behind him. He moved so quietly -like a ghost who had taken a liking to Rick and stuck around.

“You could walk louder.” Rick answered, chuckling.

“Nah.” Daryl sniffed and rested his chin on Rick’s shoulder. “More fun to scare ya.”

Rick reached back with his good hand to squeeze Daryl’s hand, pulling the offered arm around himself in a half embrace.

“Governor talked a lot.” Rick said softly. “Talked a lot about… things I should be willing to do to protect my family. You. My kids. The group.”

Daryl nodded. “He likes to talk. Try to shake you. Bet he’d say anything if he thought it would work.”

“Yeah, and he tried.” Rick agreed, leaning his head against Daryl’s. “Tried to tell me that I was blind. That I needed to look closer at things.”

“What kind of things?” Daryl asked, turning his head so he could rest his forehead against Rick’s cheek.

“Daryl,” Rick hesitated. “Are you pregnant?”

Daryl faltered, dropping his arm from Rick’s side and stepping back. 

“The hell does that have to do with this?”

“Governor said he noticed it when you were in Woodbury.” Rick explained, turning to face him. “I know he was just giving me shit, but I… guess I started to think about it.”

Daryl sighed heavily, hanging his head like a chastised puppy. “No, Rick, I’m not. And don’t think this is me being shitty about it or just talking. It’s ‘cause I can’t.”

“I don’t want you to be during all this but that doesn’t mean accidents_”

“I can’t get pregnant, Rick.” Daryl interrupted, firmly. “Physically. I just… can’t. Whole lot of bullshit math involved that I don’t wanna get into, but it comes down to something simple. I can’t have kids, Rick. Ever.”

Rick stood in silence, studying Daryl. Daryl still had his eyes on the ground, but Rick could see the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

“Well, that… I mean, that shouldn’t be too bad, right?” Rick tried. He didn’t want Daryl upset. “You didn’t really want to have kids anyway so… you don’t have to worry about it.”

Daryl groaned, bringing his hands up and rubbing his face roughly. “You’d think so.”

“I don’t see the problem.” Rick admitted, crossing his arms over his chest to stop from pulling Daryl close. If Rick tried to comfort him too soon he’d throw his walls up faster than Rick could blink.

“Before Judith, I’d never been around babies.” Daryl explained quietly. “Not even in passing, you know? So it was easy to say I didn’t want any, but… I’ve been there for her since the day she was born. Only Beth has more time with her than I do. And I love that, y’know? But seeing her hurts too. Because I can’t- “ His voice broke, and he kicked his foot in frustration. “I can’t have those little curly haired blue eyed babies. I don’t get to look at a little person and think ‘I made that’, y’know? And most of the time it’s okay. I can handle it. Just… every time you mention it, it’s like getting fucking stabbed, Rick. Because I can’t be that. I can’t give you -  _ us _ \- that.”

Rick was at a loss for words. It seemed as if all he had done since coming to the prison was cause his mate pain, in one way or another.

“I wish you had told me earlier.” Rick said, softly. “That it had this kind of effect. If you never wanted to mention that you  _ couldn’t _ that would have been for you to decide. But I wish I had known I was hurting you that way.”

Rick crossed the space between them and wrapped his arms around Daryl. He didn’t care about the pain spiking through his injured arm - He needed to hold his mate.

“Said yourself that you love being a dad.” Daryl said quietly, against Rick’s shoulder. “And… when we didn’t talk about it, I could forget, y’know?”

“I get it.” Rick nodded, kissing Daryl’s temple. “I’m gonna be better about that, alright, Darlin’? All the shit and chaos we deal with every day… I shouldn’t add to your stress.”

Daryl didn’t reply, just letting himself be held, and Rick tried not to focus on the problem. Not to focus on how it affected him, or them, right now. Right now, he was purely focused on making sure that Daryl didn’t suffer or feel guilty.


	13. Episode Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We all know what episode 15 was, guys

Rick had asked Hershel to step outside with him, hoping that they could catch Daryl before he went out hunting. So far, he had managed to avoid telling Daryl about the plan to turn Michonne over to the Governor, but they were past the time for indecision, and Rick knew that he wouldn’t be able to pull it off without Daryl’s support - He honestly just didn’t have the stomach for it. Hell, he wasn’t sure that he could even if Daryl did support him. Sending someone off to surely be executed? In order to save their own asses? It was inhuman.

“The Governor offered me a deal.” Rick said quietly, not meeting Daryl’s gaze until he realised what he was doing. “If we hand over Michonne… he’ll leave the prison alone.”

“You really think that’s a good idea? She’s been helping us. If he attacks, we could use the extra set of hands.” Daryl’s expression was guarded as he spoke, carefully keeping his thoughts out of his voice or face.

_He must have been one hell of a poker player before the world ended.._.

Rick forced himself to lift his head and look Daryl directly in the eye. When he spoke, he tried to sound firm and confident in his decision. 

**“It’s the only way. No one else knows.”**

Daryl snorted. **“You gonna tell ‘em?”**

**“Not ‘til after.”** Rick answered. He knew that little huff, and it spoke volumes _If it was the right idea, why hide it?_ **“We have to do it today. It has to be quiet.”**

Rick looked around, at the walkers surrounding them. The ones in their yard that wouldn’t have been there if the Governor hadn’t run his truck through their fences. 

Handing over Michonne was like tucking tail to Daryl, and Rick knew it. But what choice did he have? They couldn’t run with a baby. Walkers would be on them every minute, and when the weather began to turn cold again they needed a roof and walls. 

Daryl nodded, fidgeting and shifting his weight. **“You got a plan?”**

**“We tell her we need to talk.”** Rick sighed, knowing that he didn’t sound convinced of the idea even as he elaborated. **“Away from the others.”**

Daryl glanced around him to Hershel for a moment before his eyes returned to Rick. He sighed heavily, shaking his head. **“It just ain’t us, man.”**

**“No. No, it isn’t.”** Hershel agreed before turning to walk back inside on his crutches.

Rick waited until Hershel was a good few feet away before speaking again. **“We do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies.”** Silently, he pleaded with Daryl to go along with it. To agree. Because if Daryl gave one legitimate attempt at telling him no, Rick would buckle easily.

Instead Daryl dropped his gaze to the ground and nodded. **“Alright.** Guess there ain’t much a choice now, huh?”

Rick nodded reluctantly, returning to watching the walkers. **“We need someone else.”** They had one man in their group who was just cold hearted enough to be okay with this idea. To support it and carry it through to the end.

**“I’ll talk to him.”** Daryl nodded.

**“I’ll do it.”** Rick shook his head.

Daryl gave a nonchalant shrug. **“I’ll go with you.”**

**“No.”** Rick said firmly. **“Just me.”**

Daryl scowled, standing straighter. “You don’t know how to talk to him.”

“I’ll explain the plan. Ask for his help. Seems pretty simple.”

“Merle ain’t simple.” Daryl shook his head. “Lemme help.”

“Said you needed to hunt.” Rick reminded. “Think I can handle Merle just this once.”

“He’s gonna fuck with you.” Daryl warned. “Because he knows he can. Don’t let him get you riled up, or you ain’t gonna get nothing accomplished.”

Rick nodded, accepting the advice as Daryl’s reluctant agreement. “I’ll look out.”

Daryl nodded, biting at his thumb nail in one of his many anxious fidgets. Rick hated to see his mate upset, but he had to handle things how he saw fit.

“Let’s meet up when you get back?” Rick offered. “Need to do a perimeter check anyway.”

Daryl dropped his hand back to his side and adjusted the strap of his crossbow. “Alright.”

Rick gave a faint smile and pulled Daryl close to press a soft kiss to his forehead. “Good luck, darlin’.”

“You’re the one who’s gonna need it.” Daryl scoffed, before turning to leave.

* * *

Daryl tried to stay busy all day. After what Rick told him that morning, Daryl felt ill. Handing someone over to some bastard who wanted to kill them, or worse? What kind of world were they now living in, that condemning someone to death seemed like the lesser of two evils?

Thankfully he ran into Glenn, which was one of his intended conversations today. God, he hated talking to people. Especially playing mediator.

**“You seen Merle around?”** Daryl asked, trying to gauge whether Glenn would even allow the conversation. 

Glenn looked at him for a moment, before shaking his head and returning to the gate repairs he was working on.

“He come talk to you yet?” Daryl pressed, setting aside his crossbow and helping Glenn move the grated doors back in place before locking them shut. “Told him he’d have to try and make things right. Only way we can all just… exist.”

Glenn turned his back to Daryl, not saying a word.

“Shit.” Daryl sighed, rubbing his face. “Gotta be something he can do to make it right. You wanna punch him a couple times? He’d do it. Hell, I’d make him.”

Glenn paused in his work and finally turned, his voice low as he spoke. 

**“He tied me to a chair, beat me, and threw a walker in the room. Maybe I could call it even** at throwing a few punches. **But he-”** Glenn took a shaky breath.  **“He took Maggie to a man who terrorized her.** **_Humiliated_ ** **her. I care more about her than I care about me.”**

Daryl worried his bottom lip a bit between his teeth, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Shit. He didn’t know… Glenn had been pissed on the road, but Daryl hadn’t known about that part, the details of what Glenn and Maggie had really gone through.

“If somebody threatened Rick’s life and well being… would you want them staying down the hall from him?” Glenn asked, quietly. “If someone attacked Beth or Carol… Hell, Carl, even. Would you just be okay with them being around and taking ‘oh, well, he _says_ he’s sorry’?”

“I get what you mean, man.” Daryl nodded, rubbing his face again. It was barely morning and he already felt like it should be sundown. “Look, you gotta get where I’m coming from, alright? He’s the only family I got left. He’s a piece of shit, but he’s blood. I just- I just need my people where I can see ‘em. That’s all.” 

Daryl grabbed his bow off the picnic table where he had left it. “Talk to Maggie, maybe? See if there’s anything Merle can do? I know y’all don’t get the whole ‘nesting’ thing, but… maybe find a way for a truce at least?”

“Yeah, alright.” Glenn sighed. “I can’t promise anything, Daryl. And even if Maggie forgives him, I don’t know if I ever will. But you’re my friend. And I’d rather not lose that over something like this.”

Daryl agreed. “All I’m asking, brother.” 

Great. That was one half of Daryl’s problem addressed, at least for now - next to try for the other.

* * *

**“Merle? You down here?”** Daryl called as he walked down the stairs into the generator room. 

He’d been searching for his brother for a good half hour, which was ridiculous because really, where could he have gone inside a prison? Apparently, more places than Daryl had expected.

**“Hey, little brother.”** Merle answered as Daryl rounded the corner. “ **Was just about to holler back at ya.”**

**“What are you doing down here?”** Daryl frowned. The generator room was just as much a mess as the cell block had been.

“Just looking for a little, uh, crystal meth.” Merle gave a short huff of a laugh. **“Yeah, yeah. I know, the shit’ll mess my life up when everything’s going so sweet.”**

Daryl winced. It felt like a jab, even if that wasn’t how Merle had meant it. Daryl had been busting his ass daily to make Merle a part of the group, a piece of the pack, and it felt like Merle had been sabotaging him the entire time.

“Tried talking to Glenn ‘bout you.” Daryl sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thought maybe… hell, I don’t know, man. Just want shit to work out. I don’t want my people scattered anymore.”

“Building a nest for the winter, Darlena?” Merle rolled his eyes. “Careful. You’ll start to sound too much like a knot chaser.”

“Fuck off, man.” Daryl snapped. “I’m trying to keep us together. You said you wanted to be around for me, and you’re just screwing with people to do it. You ain’t gotta be a dick all the time, Merle.”

Merle snorted. “Maybe not, little brother, but I am what I am.”

They were silent for a few minutes, the lack of sound eerie and making the room feel heavy.

**“You talk to Rick yet?”** Daryl said eventually, pacing the room while they talked.

**“Yeah.”** Merle nodded. **“Oh, yeah. I’m in. But, uh, he ain’t got the stomach for it.”** He glanced up at Daryl. **“He’s gonna buckle, you know that, right?”**

**“Yeah.”** Daryl said, quietly. **“If he does, he does.”**

**“You want him to?”** Merle cocked his head.

**“Whatever he says goes.”** Daryl shrugged.

Merle scoffed. **“Man, do you even possess a pair of balls, little brother? Are they even attached? I mean, if they are, do they even belong to you?”**

Daryl rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the incessant needling. He hadn’t come down to the generator room to argue with Merle.

“I knew you were all claimed and shit, but man, figured you still had some balls to ya.” Merle shook his head. “Sheriff got him a good knot bitch, huh?”

“Fuck you, man.” Daryl hissed. “Group trusts Rick to make those choices. Ain’t my place. And I don’t want to be in charge.”

“And you don’t think that if you batted those baby blues, he’d melt and do exactly what you wanted?” Merle asked, chuckling. “Little brother, man’s whipped worse than you are. Could have a castle of gold if you wanted.”

“It ain’t like that, Merle.” Daryl said. “Me and Rick… it’s equals. I ain’t gonna use that for stupid shit.”

“Could make him go through with this.” Merle said. “Give your group a shot at heading for the hills.”

“We ain’t running.” Daryl sighed. “If we hand over Michonne… we’d be here getting ready for a fight.”

**“You used to call people like that sheep.”** Merle shook his head. **“What happened to you?”**

**“What happened with you and Glenn? And Maggie?”**

**“I’ve done worse.”** Merle said bluntly. **“You need to grow up. Things are different now.”**

Daryl almost didn’t trust his own eyes when he caught sight of the slight wetness growing in Merle’s eyes, and a part of his heart, the part that still looked up to his big brother, broke.

**“Your people look at me like I’m the devil…”** Merle said slowly, his eyes never leaving Daryl’s, daring him to say a word. **“For grabbing up those lovebirds like that, huh? Now y’all wanna do the same damn thing I did—snatch someone up and deliver ‘em to the Governor. Just like me.”**

Daryl dropped his gaze and swallowed hard, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He hated everything that was happening. He just wanted things between him and Merle to go back to how they had been before the world went to shit; simple, easier.

**“Yeah.”** Merle gave a small, humorless laugh. **“People do what they got to or they die.”**

**“You can’t do things without people anymore, man.”** Daryl pointed out, lifting his head.

Merle’s response was a snort. 

**“Maybe these people need someone like me around, huh? Do their dirty work. The bad guy.”** He stopped for a moment, his voice dropping.  **“Yeah… maybe that’s how it is now, huh? How’s that hit ya?”**

Daryl paused, looking at Merle and saying honestly: **“I just want my brother back.** You’re all the family I got, man. And it ain’t like I’m gonna be popping out more. I just… I miss how it was, y’know? We were a team, Merle.”

Merle faltered, looking Daryl over before shaking his head and stepping back.

**“Get out of here, man.”**

Daryl sighed and left the room. He swallowed the lump in his throat and hated the growing feeling of dread hanging over him. Fixing things with Merle would take time and patience. It couldn’t be fixed overnight, no matter how much Daryl wished it could be.

Just before he closed the door behind him, Daryl heard Merle mutter:

_“Guys like me don’t get the happy ending, little brother.”_

* * *

**_“I’m going after him.”_**

**_“You can’t track for shit.”_**

**_“Then both of us.”_**

**_“No, just me. I said I’d go and I’ll go. Plus they’re gonna come back here. You need to be ready. Your family too.”_**

Daryl replayed the conversation in his head while he tracked, grimly amused by how similar it sounded to the one he and Rick had had just a few hours before in the courtyard. Daryl should have known that something like this would happen - Merle had been acting wrong when Daryl had left him, and his words had shaken Daryl to his core.

_“Guys like me don’t get the happy ending, little brother.”_

Daryl knew in his gut what Merle was going to try to do, and he prayed to whoever was listening that he would get there before Merle did.

After a few minutes, Daryl noticed a familiar figure holding a sword and hurried forward. _Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead_.

**“Hey! Where’s my brother?”** Daryl demanded, upon confirming that Michonne was, indeed, still alive, and glaring hard at her. 

Michonne gave him a blank stare in return.

**“You kill him?”** Daryl continued, not really wanting an answer. 

Maybe Michonne would walk away, and he would be able to find Merle himself… But Michonne shook her head **.**

**“He let me go.”**

Daryl swallowed, pulling his crossbow over his shoulder. 

**“Don’t let anyone come after me.”**

Merle was going to face down against the Governor by himself - It was the only thing that Merle would think made sense at this point, if Daryl knew his brother at all. If he wasn’t bringing the Governor Michonne, then he would be walking into Hell. ...And, as always, Daryl was right on his heels.

Daryl finally slowed his pace as he approached the old feed mill, still breathing heavily as he pulled his crossbow from his shoulder and began to load it. It was too quiet for any kind of battle to be taking place - whatever had happened was already done and Merle was nowhere to be seen. Until… 

Among the mutilated walkers, one lifted its grotesque face. 

_Merle_ **.**

“No,” Daryl groaned, his voice wavering and the crossbow dropping from his hands. “No…”

A sob bubbled up to the surface and escaped Daryl’s lips before he could stop it. Merle was too tough to die. He was strong and crafty, he was supposed to always be around to tease Daryl about being with Rick, or being an omega, or, God, _anything._ He was just Merle. _It was what he did..._

Merle didn’t _die._

But the gunshot wound in his chest clearly said otherwise, and Merle - the walker - didn’t slow down in its amble towards him. Despite what Daryl thought, what he hoped, Merle had turned. And he kept coming, growling and dragging forward, even when Daryl pushed it back. Again and again. He reached down to pull his knife out, managing to grit his teeth and drive it into the walker’s throat as it charged. The walker crumpled back, and pulled Daryl down with it, still biting, and growling.

Daryl stabbed it again, jamming the knife into the walker’s face over and over. _How could Merle be so stupid? How could Merle leave him like this? How could he die?_

He barely noticed the blood that sprayed across his face, only stopping once the walker no longer moved, and then Daryl collapsed backward on the grass, sobbing and pressing his hands to his face. It hurt. God, it hurt. Daryl could remember every single cruel word Merle had ever said to him, every jab and snipe...

But he also remembered the big brother who took him to the doctor and got him an implant, because Daryl was terrified of being an omega. He remembered Merle making breakfast on his birthday, and teasing him for taking it easy all day. He remembered Merle teaching him how to hunt and track, how to set up a tent and build a campfire… And now, no one else alive knew that there was a good in Merle, which he had buried underneath his shitty outer shell. 

Daryl’s cries turned into hiccupping sobs, but he managed to reach out and drag his knife to his chest, keeping it clutched in his hand, just in case he had to jump and defend himself in the midst of his grief.

* * *

Rick was walking back toward the group when the feeling spiked in his chest. It was painful enough to knock him to his knees. He heard Carl call for him, but it all felt so foggy past the thundering sound of his own heartbeat.

No, not his heartbeat - It was _Daryl’s_. Rick didn’t know how he knew, but he did. Their bond felt stretched thin, like a rubber band was pulling him toward Daryl.

Rick managed to force himself to his feet and pulled a rifle over his shoulder, before walking past the group who were trying to gather around him.

“Daryl needs me.” Rick rasped, and someone had pressed keys into his hand before he reached the car.

He didn’t recall getting behind the wheel, only following the instinct which was pulling him insistently to his mate. It wasn’t sadness or pain, it was despair. _Agony._ It was soul-crushing, and felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

When he pulled the truck up to the feed mill and caught sight of the figure he was looking for, Daryl was sitting on the grass, his knees pulled tight to his chest and one arm wrapped around them tightly. His crossbow was discarded on the ground beside him, but he thankfully was clutching his knife.

Rick stepped out of the truck and walked towards Daryl, looking around the field and moving past the dead walkers before his gaze settled on the one nearest to Daryl. Rick wouldn’t have recognized him if not for the blade in place of his right hand. 

Merle. And judging from the knife wounds to his face and the vacant, lost look in Daryl’s eyes, it had been Daryl who had put him down.

“He let her go.” Daryl said. 

His voice sounded wrong, pitched high and broken like a lost child, and Rick was reminded of a call he had responded to back when he was just a deputy sheriff. A little boy had survived a home invasion, and when Rick spoke to him he had had the same lost, wide-eyed look about him, the same trembling bottom lip, and broken voice.

“She made it back to the prison.” Rick nodded, crouching down beside Daryl. “Everyone’s there and safe.”

“He ain’t.” Daryl shook his head and nodded toward Merle’s body. “Fucker shot him in the chest and left him to turn… bit off two a his fucking fingers while he was at it.”

“Jesus.” Rick whispered, shaking his head. “Darlin’, I-”

“If you say some shit like ‘I’m sorry for your loss’, I swear to God, I will knife you in the dick.” Daryl said sharply, cutting his eyes over to Rick. “I don’t want your fucking sympathy or pity, Rick.”

“I won’t give it.” Rick promised. “I was gonna say we should move him to the bed of the truck. Take him home and give him a proper burial.”

Daryl’s expression twisted in confusion, and Rick tried to give him a reassuring smile. “We bury our own.”

“Thank you.” Daryl whispered, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

It was at times like this that Rick was reminded that Daryl was a kid. He had been just twenty-five when they met, almost a year and a half ago. And now that façade of strength was shattered, and Rick wished there was something he could do to fix it.

“Come on.” Rick stood and offered Daryl a hand up. 

Together, they were able to load Merle’s body into the back of the truck. Glenn met them when they got home, silently joining them to help dig the grave. Between the three of them, they managed to have Merle buried by sundown.

After that, Rick led Daryl to the showers. He looked exhausted, as if putting one foot in front of the other was too much effort, and Rick helped him shower, carefully cleaning his lover all over. Once they were clean, they went to their room and pulled the door closed.

Rick spent the night with Daryl clutched tightly to his chest and was helpless to do anything except what Daryl asked of him: 

_ “Please, alpha… just help me forget.” _


	14. Episode Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of season 3 and this fic! Hope y'all enjoy.

It was early the next morning, before sunrise even, when the group gathered to tell Rick about the decision they had come to, and he was surprised: They wanted to protect the prison. Rick had been prepared for any number of exit strategies, but staying to fight had not been something he had considered seriously.

“Draw them down into the tombs.” Maggie said.

“We can get some walkers shut off into an area… let them loose when Woodbury gets in.” Glenn finished.

“Could use the flash bangs to spook ‘em.” Daryl said from where he was now standing behind Rick.  _ Really need to put a bell on him _ . “Push ‘em into a corner and light it up.”

“Are we aiming to kill?” Carol asked, sounding worried.

“We need to make the prison look empty. Like we ran.” Rick said. “Carol, Hershel, we’ll have you in charge of the cars. Keep y’all hidden and safe.”

“We need to keep as few of us as possible here.” Daryl agreed. “Maggie and Glenn can take the catwalks, catch any stragglers and push ‘em out.” 

“Daryl and I will cover the two sides. Keep ‘em-”

“What about me?” Carl interrupted. “I’m staying too.”

Rick sighed, falling back on his old habits and trying to placate Carl by giving him a task of his own: “I want you to go with the group to keep them safe, alright? I need someone who can keep watch and stay focused.”

“I want to fight.” Carl said stubbornly. “I’m a good shot, and I can move fast.”

“If Woodbury’s got eyes on the prison, they’ll be looking for you and your sister.” Daryl explained, before Rick could answer his son. “You’re leading ‘em away. Bait gets a whole lotta action by the end.”

Carl scowled, swinging his arms irritably before nodding. “Fine. I’ll protect everyone.”

“Seems like the bigger job.” Michonne said. “Keeping eyes and ears on two girls, a cripple, and a baby. It’s like herding cats.”

Carl tucked his head, but failed to hide the small smile. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And I’m sure Daddy’ll feel a lot better knowing you’ll be there to watch out for me, Carol, and the baby.” Beth offered, which seemed to be enough to solidify Carl’s resolve. 

“We need to get our stuff together.” He said, standing up a little straighter.

“Yes, we do.” Rick agreed.

___________________________________________________

The plan worked, so well that it was unnerving, but soon enough the group found themselves arguing about whether to chase the group back to Woodbury, and Hershel privately gave Rick some news that shook him to his very core:

**_“He gunned that boy down.”_**

Carl had murdered someone. His son, at only thirteen years old, was a murderer.

Rick hurried away from the group and found Daryl, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from the group.

“The hell’s this, man?” Daryl scowled. “We need to get going.”

“Carl killed someone.” Rick said.

Daryl shrugged, and gave Rick an unconcerned look.

“In cold blood, Daryl.” Rick continued. “The boy was handing his gun over. He surrendered, and Carl took him down without even thinking.”

“Was probably more thinking involved than you give him credit for. You know just like I do, the world freezes in those seconds. Maybe it was the only option he had?”

“And what if it’s not?” Rick asked, quietly.

“He’s still your boy, Rick. Still a Grimes.” Daryl said. “Sure he had a reason. Kid’s like his old man. Thinks too damn much. You’d do anything to protect yours, wouldn’t you?”

Rick sighed, giving a small nod. 

“Carl just showed you he’s gonna do the same.” Daryl shrugged one shoulder. “Gotta be willing to pull the trigger when it counts. Just how the world is these days.”

“Before she died…” Rick took a deep breath. “Lori was scared for him. She thought… he was getting cold. Callous from the way things are. I guess I was hoping to protect him from that just a little longer.”

“Gotta grow sometime.” Daryl pointed out, still unconcerned. “Make sure you help him sprout right. Make sure he knows where the line is. If he steps over… hell, if he gets too close to toeing it, you snatch a knot in his head and drag him back. That’s your job, old man.”

Rick shook his head in disbelief. “You really think so?”

“Never just talk.” 

Rick looked around for a moment, watching their little family, before returning his attention to Daryl. “How’re you holding up?”

Daryl gave another indifferent shrug. “’m fine, man. Merle’s dead, but we got a whole lotta folks counting on us to keep ‘em not dead. Gotta focus on them.”

“I wish I was half as strong as you sometimes.” Rick murmured. “I fell apart over Lori. It was… bad doesn’t even cut it. I was fully out of my damn mind, and you just… keep going.”

“World spins whether you’re on your feet or on your ass.” Daryl huffed, seemingly amused. “Don’t do me much good to go stalking around in dark tunnels, now does it?”

Rick couldn’t argue that, so instead he squeezed Daryl’s shoulder and took the opportunity to check the bite on his neck. Last night, comforting Daryl had involved knotting and biting, as well as just holding him while he cried, trying to process his grief.

“It doesn’t hurt, does it? It’s kinda cold out.” Rick asked.

“You’re sweet. It’s gross.” Daryl rolled his eyes, swatting away Rick’s hands. “Go talk to your kid before we go if you’re worrying about him.”

Rick nodded, before turning to go find Carl. Jesus, could things get simple for a little while? Just a day or two?

* * *

Things didn’t get easier. 

It looked like the Governor had killed everyone in his party after the failed raid, and only Karen, Tyresse, and Sasha were left. Them and four kids and six old folks, one a little old lady with arthritis and a man who was almost blind from cataracts. 

Had there been even a few more people capable of defending them, Rick would have simply left them at Woodbury, content to ignore them and let them exist if they did not bother his group at the prison, but he couldn’t in good conscience leave them alone. It meant a new cell block to clear out and more supplies to bring in.

When they returned, Rick left the Woodbury people with Carol and Hershel, asking Carl to be in charge of moving the supplies around. Meanwhile, Daryl followed Rick to make sure that the other cell block was still clear.

“If it wouldn’t be so much damn smoke, I’d say stack ‘em in here.” Daryl grunted, as he shoved another corpse over the upstairs railing. 

Rick was dragging them outside into a pile for burning. “Yeah, already have to mop in here. Don’t need the smell of smoke too.”

“Gonna have to make a run for one of the other cell blocks for mattress replacements. Ones in our block are torn to shit and bunch of these are covered in blood.” Daryl added. It wasn’t an actual conversation, more an ideas session, each throwing ideas out when they caught sight of the other.

“Probably gonna need Glenn and Maggie for that.” Rick agreed. “Block A has the caved in wall. Could be flooded with walkers.”

“We could bring one of the cars into the field around A, turn on the music and draw ‘em out. Gotta make sure the fence is secure first though.” Daryl said.

“Definitely an option.” Rick nodded. “Shame we can’t pull the truck right in.”

Daryl shrugged. “The mattresses are only a couple pounds a piece. Could sling four or five over your shoulder as long as you can hold ‘em. Hell, Carl could drag ‘em outside once it’s all clear.”

Rick nodded again, hesitating for a moment before saying:“I think I’m gonna take his gun. For a while at least. He’s… he didn’t see anything wrong with killing that boy, but I do.”

Daryl paused and leaned over the railing, looking down at Rick. “You asking my opinion or just talking?”

“Both, maybe?” Rick sighed. “Shit, Daryl, I don’t know. This scares me. It really does. I don’t want my son to become one of those guys I put away when I was a cop.”

“So, check him up.” Daryl shrugged. “You’re his old man, and more than that, you’re pack alpha. If you’re gonna give him limits, stick to ‘em. Don’t soften up because it’s Carl.”

“So make a rule book for him?” 

“Nah, make it for everybody. Set rules for everybody to follow. Let Carl be one of the adults. Might help him figure out his place.”

“If it doesn’t?”

“Seems like a future problem that we might not even have to face.”

“So, I’m just overthinking again?”

_ “Always.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you made it to the end! What did you think? Did you like it or hate it? What was your favorite moment? Leave a comment below.
> 
> For updates about future fics, the chance to talk to me and others directly, and take part in some polls to decide future details, come join us on Discord!: https://discord.gg/eyrn66S

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, you made it to the end! What did you think?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at MaximusMeridian or better yet!  
> Come join my Discord server! You can come interact with me and other Rickyl fans while we share writing, fanart, etc. Just come be apart of the family. 
> 
> Being able to talk about my writing with people is like crack, and it inspires me to get my ass in gear and write a whole lot faster!
> 
> https://discord.gg/eyrn66S


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